The T-Shirt
by MysticalGoddessOfWords
Summary: "Where is your gay pride, anyway?" Alison scowled as she narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend. Emily sighed. "Ali, you're being ridiculous." Emily knew, even before all the words left her mouth, what a monumental mistake they were, but she couldn't take them back now.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything... obviously.**

**Okay, I know I said I wouldn't be back for a while but this wouldn't get out of my freaking head…..**

**This takes place between Chapter 8 and the first Epilogue of Mermaid, a couple of months before their old friends converged on their house for Christmas.**

**Again… it can probably be read as a stand-alone story but it makes more sense if you've read Epilogue 1, which is where this series of events are recalled by Alison and Emily.**

**This was originally intended as a one-shot but it got too damn long, so I've decided to try something a little different and post it in shorter than my normal length chapters.**

**It will probably end up a 4-5 part story, at this point, but I make no promises because… well… I don't need to explain my long-winded tendencies….lol**

**As always, the mature rating should be expected and assumed.**

**The credit for the title goes to Baby Darth Dalloway. Thanks, hun, for always making me laugh and smile.**

**Thanks to everyone, as always, for reading and reviewing.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>The T-Shirt<strong>

**Chapter 1**

"Em," Alison choked, the sound coming out as a sort of half moan and half whimper, as her orgasm rolled through her.

She arched her back, bucking her hips and reached down beneath the sheet. She slid her fingers into and gripped her girl's long hair, as she tightened her thighs around the brunette's head.

She felt Emily grin against her wet flesh but her mermaid's tongue was relentless, not letting up until Alison pushed her head away, unable to take any more stimulation on her swollen, tender, throbbing clit. Her body jerked softly and every cell in her body tingled with pleasure.

"Baby," Alison murmured, sated and exhausted as the fingertips of one hand brushed gently down the side of Emily's face, caressing, while the other lifted the sheet so she could look down on her girlfriend's very self-satisfied face.

Emily's eyes twinkled playfully as she wiped her mouth on Alison's thigh before softly kissing a slow path up the blonde's body.

Alison shuddered as Emily's body slowly covered her and she whimpered again as she grabbed her girl's face and pulled Emily's lips to hers for a long, slow, deep kiss.

Alison wrapped her arms and legs around Emily as the brunette's body settled on hers, their lips and tongues caressing slowly and softly.

"Mmmmm," Alison purred but then pouted as Emily lifted her head, effectively ending the kiss, and grinned down at her girlfriend.

"Good morning, love," Emily said as she smiled.

Alison grinned up at her, her blue eyes still soft from sleep, as Emily called her by her the term of endearment she'd just started recently using regularly. It made Alison's heart flutter with happiness each time Emily said it.

"I'll say," Alison chuckled softly as she wiggled her body sensually beneath Emily's, causing her mermaid's eyes to fall closed as she groaned. "Not that I'm complaining, _at all_," the blonde emphasized as she tilted her hips and tightened her thighs around her girl. "But what the hell was that?"

Emily laughed softly as she leaned her head down and nuzzled the base of Alison's throat. "If I have to tell you, clearly I wasn't doing it right."

"Oh, that was way more than right," Alison purred as she arched again, offering Emily her throat. "And you have permission to wake me like that every morning if you want."

Emily chuckled now and rocked her hips gently between Alison's thighs as her tongue slipped between her lips and she slowly swirled it up Alison's neck until she reached her ear.

"Do you want to come running with me this morning?" Emily asked and Alison scoffed playfully.

"I don't think I can walk after that, never mind run."

Emily smiled against Alison's neck, brushing her lips tenderly against her skin. The scent of Alison's skin made the brunette's stomach clench with need.

Alison felt her smile and fluttered her fingertips up and down her mermaid's back. "Quite proud of yourself, aren't you?" she murmured as she turned her head and nuzzled the side of Emily's face.

Emily nodded her head as she continued to kiss Alison's neck, breathing and tasting the blonde's soft skin. "I don't want to move off of you."

"Mmmm, then don't," Alison breathed and she kissed a soft path to Emily's ear and bit down gently as she tightened her arms and legs around her girl again. "You can stay where you are all day."

"I have class in a few hours," Emily murmured as her lips traveled over Alison's cheek until their lips met again softly.

"Blow them off," Alison mumbled into Emily's mouth as she kissed her mermaid soft and deep.

"It's too early in the semester to skip class," Emily said as she tore her lips away with a regretful sigh. Alison snickered softly because they both knew Emily didn't skip classes. Ever.

Alison's chuckle morphed into a moan as Emily pressed her thigh against Alison's swollen and tender sex. Alison dropped her legs from around Emily's hips and slid her hand down Emily's back. She gripped her girl's ass before placing her foot on the bed and using it for leverage.

"Then we'll have to make this quick," Alison purred into Emily's mouth as she flipped them over, straddling her mermaid's gloriously naked body. She kept her lips pressed to Emily's as she nudged the brunette's thighs open with her right knee.

Alison tore her lips away, kissing a soft path over the Emily's chin and down the column of her throat.

Emily moaned Alison's name as she arched her back and Alison smiled as she slipped her hand between her girl's thighs. She felt the brunette tremble beneath her as Alison's fingers teased the soft flesh she found warm and wet.

Alison kissed her way down Emily's softly shuddering body, stopping briefly at her girl's tattoo, and lavishing it with soft swirls of her tongue as she traced her name. The sight of her name on Emily's body never ceased to awe her and humble her.

Emily reached down as she tilted her hips, pushing Alison's head lower, making the blonde chuckle and smile at her mermaid's impatience. But, knowing they were limited for time, Alison didn't keep her girl waiting and she moved lower, quickly bringing Emily to orgasm with her tongue, as her mermaid bucked and writhed and moaned beneath her.

##############

Emily's feet pounded the pavement in a steady rhythm as she and Pepe turned the corner. The dog was so good at keeping up with her pace and seemed to enjoy their runs as much as she did.

But Emily's mind was not on her run this morning. It was back in bed with the blonde she left sprawled and sated on their sheets. Although she started it, by waking Alison the way she had, the blonde had quickly turned the tables on Emily, as she often did, and the brunette knew she was lucky she had time for even a short run this morning.

She was now almost an hour behind her normal morning schedule, so she and Pepe were cutting their jog short because she had to get back home, showered, and to class by nine.

But as images and memories of Alison's body, both beneath her and above her, flooded her mind, Emily couldn't bring herself to care how late she was going to be.

Halfway down the block, Emily felt the first vestiges of the cramp shoot through her calf. She immediately started hopping to keep her weight off her leg as she slowed to a walk.

Pepe, however, didn't want to slow and keep tugging on his leash.

"Give me a break here, Pepe," Emily growled softly as she stopped and crouched down to rub the spot on the back of her leg that was spasming. Pepe stopped and loped back over to her, nudging her shoulder before licking her cheek. Emily smiled at the dog's customary way of apologizing and she rubbed his ears affectionately.

"Hey, are you alright?" the sound of a voice beside her startled Emily and she gasped and looked over her shoulder quickly. Pepe caught her unease and growled lowly at the guy standing on the other side of the low fence.

"You scared me," Emily laughed even as she gritted her teeth against the pulsing pain of the cramp

She stood up and looked over at the guy standing in the yard with a hose in his hand. He was probably mid twenties, Emily figured, and he had the most beautiful big blue eyes, she'd ever seen, aside from Alison's.

"Sorry about that," he said as he smiled sheepishly.

Emily shook her head. "No, it's okay. I should have been paying attention to my surroundings."

"Your leg okay?" he asked as he motioned to the leg she was still favoring.

"Yeah, just a Charlie horse," she replied as she leaned down and massaged the cramp again.

"You're welcome to sit, while you work it out," he offered as he pointed to a chair on his front porch.

"That's okay, it's almost gone now."

"I'm Daren, by the way," he said as he walked through the gate and to the edge of the sidewalk to offer his hand.

"Emily," she smiled, and shook it, but then she looked down at the dog still growling, now a little more loudly, beside her. "Pepe," she scolded and the dog looked up at her before looking back at the man standing clearly too close to his owner, but he stayed tucked right by her side. "I'm sorry about him, he's usually really friendly."

Daren shrugged. "No worries. It's good that he's protective. A beautiful girl like you can't be too careful."

Emily arched her brow at him but he just smiled as if he didn't realize the words he spoke could be taken two ways, as a compliment or a threat. And even though he seemed harmless enough to Emily, she still took a step back.

"I see you running most mornings, you training for a marathon or something?" he asked casually as he started watering the rose bushes on the outside of the fence.

"No, just keeping Pepe here in shape," she joked as she reached down and stroked Pepe's head softly to calm the still growling dog.

Daren laughed. "Lucky dog."

"It helps keep me sane too," Emily said as an afterthought. "Even just a couple miles can help clear my head when I need it."

"You live around here?" he asked just as casually as his last question, but Emily suspected there was nothing casual about it. She shook her head and smiled to herself.

"Not far," she replied matching his casual tone, but not willing to give him any more information about where she lived.

"Cool. Maybe we'll see each other around then." His face was open and friendly and he didn't seem creepy, but clearly he was interested in her and Emily fought back the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, I've got to get going," she said as she started walking away, tugging, a still on guard, Pepe with her. Her calf hadn't completely stopped spasming so she was going to walk the rest of route. Fortunately she was only two blocks from home.

"Emily," Daren called after her and she turned to look at him. "Maybe you'd like to have dinner with me sometime?" he asked, his face hopeful.

"Thanks anyway, but I'm not interested," she replied before turning around, chucking under her breath, and continued limping down the road with Pepe in tow.

####################

Emily and Pepe walked into the kitchen to find Alison mixing some fresh fruit into a bowl of yogurt. The blonde looked up and smiled as she saw her girl and her dog returning from their run.

"Hi baby," Alison purred, still on her orgasmic high from earlier.

"So, it looks like you can walk after all," Emily teased as she walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water from the top shelf.

"Barely, but I'm managing," the blonde teased right back as her eyes flashed with mirth. "Did you and Pepe enjoy your run?"

"It was interesting," Emily chuckled softly after taking a long deep swig of the cool liquid.

Pepe walked over to his bowl in the corner and got himself a long drink of water too before plopping down on the rug in front of the patio door.

"Interesting how?" Alison asked softly as she continued to slice strawberries.

Emily tilted her head as her eyes raked up and down Alison's body as she stood in front of the center kitchen island. The blonde was wearing shorts and a tank top that had ridden up in the back, exposing her tattoo, the sight of which never failed to drive Emily wild with desire for her girlfriend. The memory of the blonde's tongue swirling over her tattoo earlier made Emily ache, again, for the girl in front of her.

Even though it had been barely an hour since she'd touched Alison, the brunette's fingers itched to feel her girlfriend's soft skin, her lips craved the taste of the blonde's lips, and, as desire pooled low in her abdomen, Emily gave into her desires.

She put her water bottle on the counter and walked up behind Alison, gripping her girlfriend's hips and lowering her lips to the nape of Alison's neck.

Alison's head fell back gently and she moaned softly as she tilted it to the side as Emily pressed open mouthed kisses along her skin. She splayed her fingers around Alison's hips, the blonde's small waist allowing Emily's thumbs to meet in the center of her back. She began tracing the tattoo softly making the blonde shudder softly.

"Em," Alison breathed as she reached back behind her and pressed her fingers into the outside of Emily's thighs. "What's gotten into you today?"

Emily brushed Alison's hair aside as her lips pressed against her ear. "Do you have any idea how hot it makes me to see my name on your skin?"

"Yes," Alison whimpered as her head fell back onto Emily's shoulder. And she did. It was the entire reason she got her tattoo. And ever since Emily had gotten hers, identical in design, yet smaller and in a far more intimate place, just the thought of it, alone, could almost make Alison come.

"If I didn't have class I'd drag you back to bed," Emily groaned with regret lacing her voice and pressed one last kiss to Alison's neck before she stepped back.

"God, you're such a tease," Alison pouted as she turned to glare at her girl, but her gaze softened as she saw the disappointment to match her own in Emily's eyes.

Alison lifted her hand to Emily's cheek. "You look tired, baby."

Emily smirked in response. "Well the day has barely started and I've already had two incredibly hard workouts."

Alison's eyes twinkled playfully. "Always happy to oblige when it comes to keeping my girl healthy."

"How magnanimous of you, Ali."

Alison stepped closer and put her hands on Emily's hips, her brows furrowing with concern. "Seriously though, Em, you're spreading yourself too thin."

"The first few weeks of the semester always kick my ass," Emily said, using a rare curse. It was usually Alison who cursed, especially when she was with Kira. "Med school is a lot more work than college was."

"That's what I mean," Alison insisted. "Something's gotta give." Alison hesitated briefly before she spoke her next words because their last conversation about this topic didn't end well, but they needed to talk about it. "I think you should give up your job at the Rec center."

Emily sighed and stepped back to lean against the counter. "Alison, can we not do this again? I like my job."

"I know you do, but-" Alison started but Emily interrupted before she could get going.

"The kids depend on me, Ali, and I like teaching them to swim."

"I know they do and I know _you_ do," Alison said, trying to keep her tone neutral. She didn't want to fight with her girl, not after the way this glorious morning started. "But I worry about you and I don't want to see you drive yourself into the ground trying to juggle it all. School needs to be your priority."

"School is the priority. Only _you_ are a higher priority," Emily said and Alison smiled softly as her mermaid's words filled her with warmth. "And even if I wanted to, which I don't, I can't. I need that job."

"No, you don't," Alison insisted as she stepped closer, reaching for Emily's hand.

"Alison, we're not having this conversation again," Emily warned as she narrowed her eyes. "I need a job." Emily said the words slowly to emphasize her point.

Alison scowled right back at her. "Why?" the blonde demanded. "My book is bringing in plenty of money now, Em. And I have my advance for the second book."

"And you spent almost all of it on the down payment for this condo," Emily reminded her as she pulled her hand away.

"Almost," Alison conceded reluctantly as she schooled her features to hide the hurt of Emily pulling away. She turned toward the counter and started slicing strawberries again. "There's still some left," she added causally.

"Alison," Emily's use of her full name made Alison grit her teeth. "I'm not going to live off of you. I'm not going to be-"

"Be what?" Alison asked as she arched her brow. "A kept woman?" she finished as she smirked, joking, trying to lighten the mood because this whole conversation had gone sideways.

"I don't need charity," Emily huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

But Alison was having none of it, so she put the knife down and stepped closer to Emily again. She tugged on her arms until she could take Emily's hands in her own, stepping closer and pressing right up against Emily's body.

"Lighten up, Emily." She used her mermaid's full name in retaliation, but she also used her body to distract her girl from her irritation. "I just want to try to make it easier for you. Why won't you let me? Stop being so fucking proud and let the people who love you help you," she whispered as her lips ghosted over Emily's skin, making the brunette sigh.

Alison's eyes implored her and the blonde leaned forward and pressed kisses over Emily's face softly, willing to use all her wiles to convince her girl to do as she wanted. She didn't see it as being manipulative because it was done out of pure love for her girlfriend.

"I love you, Em," Alison breathed against her girl's lips when hers finally reached them. Emily remained stiff but Alison could feel the brunette's posture softening. "Please let me make it easier for you."

Emily was silent for a moment before speaking.

"I have to get in the shower or I'm going to be late for class," Emily said softly, not answering Alison's plea and the blonde opened her eyes, disappointment once again swirling in the blue depths.

Alison stepped back and she crossed her arms over her chest now. "We're not done talking about this. You can only avoid it for so long you know."

"Sure I can. You're not the only stubborn one," Emily replied as she pushed off the counter and exited the kitchen, knowing full well this wasn't the last of this conversation because when Alison wanted something she was relentless about having her way. But Emily was proud she was able to deflect it once again, at least for a little while.

"You're more stubborn than I ever hope to be, Emily Fields," Alison growled under her breath as she shoved Emily's water bottle off the counter in frustration.

Pepe lifted his head and looked at her, almost like he was saying "I told you so" and he rose to his feet and walked over to her. She scowled at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not in the wrong here," she said petulantly.

Pepe barked at her before turning and walking out of the room and down the hallway to Emily.

"Sure, take her side," she called after him. "You were my dog first, you know."

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: No ownership of anything PLL.**

**Hi everyone….. **

**Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing. Glad you're continuing to enjoy my crazy little stories.**

**So, this shorter chapter thing is really weird for me but I'm kinda getting the hang of it….**

**Although this one got kinda long…. twice as long as chapter 1... lol**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>The T-Shirt<strong>

**Chapter 2**

Alison sat at the table in the breakfast nook, tapping her fingers on the glass tabletop, while Pepe snoozed on the tile beside the patio door. The table was set for a romantic dinner for two, candles flickering in the center and a bottle of red already open and breathing. She picked up her phone, where it rested on the table in front of her, and checked the time _again_.

It was after eight and Emily was late.

She'd been scheduled to work after her classes but the Rec Center closed at seven. It normally only took Emily fifteen minutes to get home so she should have been home almost an hour ago. Whenever she was running late, she always called or texted Alison, but her girl had been radio silent all day.

After their disagreement, if you could even call it that, this morning, Emily had been running so behind schedule, Alison just stayed out of her way. And though Emily kissed her goodbye and told Alison she loved her, like she did every day, their conversation clearly still weighed heavily on the brunette's mind. Alison could see it in her eyes as she left.

It hadn't been Alison's intention to stir things up, but she'd been trying to figure out how to bring the topic up again, after the last time they'd discussed it; which ironically enough ended with them in a very similar place with Emily shutting down and Alison stepping back despite the fact that she wanted to rage and scream at her mermaid's stubbornness.

Alison loved Emily exactly as she was and the brunette's insistence on earning her own way in life was something Alison respected most about her. But why couldn't Emily understand and see that all Alison wanted to do was to take care of her? Emily's commitment to her education and her dream of becoming a doctor made Alison so proud of her she wanted to burst sometimes. Her mermaid was going to make an amazing doctor, with her innate capacity for compassion being one of her greatest gifts.

But her girl tended to take on too much. She didn't like asking for help, even from Alison, and it drove the blonde crazy sometimes. Didn't she know that Alison would do anything for her?

Didn't she know that what Alison truly lived for was to make Emily happy? To make her life easier so she could fulfill her dreams.

"Where the hell is she Pepe?" Alison asked the dog, who lifted his head and looked over at her, his eyes giving her same look he'd been giving her all day. "Don't look at me like that," Alison scowled. "She'd have more time for you too, you know, if she didn't have a job."

Pepe stood up and walked over to Alison, sensing the blonde needed him closer. She leaned down and hugged the dog around the neck.

"Oh, Pepe," Alison heaved a sigh as she buried her face in the soft fluffy fur of the dog's neck. "This isn't just me being selfish for once." She murmured close to his ear. "We need to take care of our girl. She's taking on too much and she doesn't see it. But I do. And, you know what, if that makes me selfish, I don't care."

Pepe barked his agreement and wiggled in Alison's arms so she released him and sat back up. He nudged the outside of her thigh with his nose, and then lifted his paw up.

"Ow, Pepe, stop. You need your nails cut," she grumbled and pushed his paw off her leg. He barked again and nudged her thigh a second time, before resting his head on it. Alison stroked her fingers absently through the soft fur on the top of his head.

When the clock hit eight fifteen, Alison stood up. "The least she could have done was let us know she was going to be late. Dinner is cold now," Alison huffed as she walked over to the stove.

As an apology for this morning, Alison had cooked Emily's favorite meal, chicken parmesan, even following Emily's recipe for the marinara sauce because Emily hated sauce from a jar.

"Come here, Pepe, you want some chicken?" she asked as she took a piece from the pan resting on the stovetop. Pepe scurried over like his tail was on fire, wiggling and barking his "inside bark," as Alison had dubbed it. It was like a half bark, almost like he knew inside the house he needed to be quieter than outside.

"Sit," Alison commanded softly and the dog obeyed instantly, dropping on to his butt as he looked up at her expectantly. "Oh, sure, now you like me," she said as she fed him a few pieces of meat that she'd scraped both the sauce and cheese off. "She may take you running every morning, but don't forget who feeds you the good stuff. She just gives you the dry crap."

Pepe didn't acknowledge Alison but he did make soft little growling noises in his throat as he munched on his food so she took that as his agreement.

The sound of the front door opening had both Alison and Pepe on alert. The blonde hoped it was Emily and not Kira just using her key. She wasn't in the mood for their wise-ass friend.

"Pepe, come here," her mermaid's voice called and Pepe went scurrying into the living room.

"Really?" Alison growled softly to herself. "She calls for the dog first."

She heard Emily's soft voice talking to Pepe on the other side of the wall but she was speaking so low, Alison couldn't hear the words.

Alison's aggravation at her girl's insensitivity grew tenfold and she started noisily making a plate for Emily, even though what she really wanted, at the moment, was to throw the chicken at her head when she walked into the room.

Alison turned her back to the door, taking a deep breath, knowing she needed to calm down before she talked to Emily. She heard Emily's footsteps approach and she could tell her girl was standing in the doorway.

Pepe came trotting back around the island and sat down beside her, but Alison ignored him. She ignored both of them, pretending to be busy cleaning the already spotless counter, until she felt something soft and cool brush against her fingertips.

She looked down to find Pepe with a bouquet of Pink Lilies, Alison's favorite flower, in his mouth and a plastic bag hanging from the collar around his neck.

She gasped softly and she crouched down, taking the bouquet of delicate blooms from his mouth and lifting them to her face. She inhaled deeply and tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.

She could tell that whatever was hanging around Pepe's neck was weighing him down so she transferred the bouquet to one hand and unhooked the handle of the plastic bag from his collar. The dog seemed relieved but he continued sitting as Alison looked in the bag to find a gallon of Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.

Her lips curved of their own volition and she felt much of her aggravation retreat; though not all. She hugged the bouquet to her chest again, letting the sweet scent of the flowers surround her and the last of her aggravation slip away.

Emily's shoes came into view as she stepped up beside Pepe.

Alison looked up to see her mermaid, smiling down at her, her eyes full of love and apology and Alison had to fight every instinct she had to just hurl herself at her girl.

"You're late," Alison said softly, instead, as she stood up.

Emily nodded. "It took me three different florists to find pink ones."

Alison felt her heart throb with love and she looked down at the flowers in her arms again to keep Emily from seeing the tears that were threatening. Emily was almost always considerate and loving, but there were times, like this, when the love she showed Alison just took the blonde's breath away.

"They're beautiful," Alison whispered against the petals.

"So are you," Emily replied honestly and Alison sighed softly, blinking as she looked back up at her girl.

Emily reached up and caressed Alison's cheek in her hand, causing the blond to tilt her head and press her cheek into the brunette's palm.

"It smells good in here," Emily said as she looked over at the table in the breakfast nook. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"You could have texted or called," Alison as she stepped back from Emily's touch, reminded that, yes, she was still a little aggravated with her mermaid.

"Do I get points for wanting to?" Emily asked as she let her hand drop to her side, missing the feel of Alison's warm skin already.

"No," Alison said as she turned to grab a vase out of the cabinet under the island.

"Well do I at least get points for the flowers?" The hopeful look on Emily's face made Alison's lips curve up just slightly.

"Maybe a couple," Alison allowed as she unwrapped the flowers and settled them in the vase, before burying her face in them again.

"How about the ice cream?" Emily bent down and picked the melting ice cream off the floor, placing it on the counter.

"Maybe a couple more," Alison bit her lip to keep her mouth from curving further into a smile, unwilling to totally give in just yet, as she filled the vase with water.

"I'll take it," Emily quipped, as she grinned and stepped closer, resting her hand on Alison's waist, making the blonde give in and full on smile. It was impossible to stay mad at her mermaid, especially when she was being so sweet.

"I love you," Emily said, her eyes soft and sincere.

Alison could have sworn she felt her heart flutter. It always did when Emily said those words to her.

"I love you too," Alison whispered as she blinked back tears again.

"Have you eaten already?" Emily asked.

Alison shook her head. "I was waiting for you."

The brunette looked at the clearly half eaten chicken breast still in the pan.

"Pepe got tired of waiting," Alison offered vaguely. "Hand me those plates please," she asked as she pointed to the ones sitting on the other counter.

Pepe, who had gone back to lie in front of the patio door, lifted his head at the sound of his name and barked once.

"I don't think he likes you throwing him under the bus like that," Emily laughed.

Alison scoffed as she dished out the chicken and added salad to the plates. "If I can't blame the dog, who can I blame?"

"Do you want some wine?" Emily asked as she glanced toward the table.

"No, I don't think my stomach can handle it tonight," Alison turned to grab the salad dressing off the other counter.

Emily stepped up behind Alison, wrapping her arms around her, sliding them around the blonde's waist. She slid her fingers beneath Alison's shirt and placed her hands on the blonde's stomach.

"I didn't realize it was already the end of the month," she murmured against Alison's neck as she kissed it softly.

Alison nodded as she scowled, but she leaned back in to her girl. "No wonder we were both pissy this morning."

"You always try to blame our periods for our fights, Ali."

'It's the only time we fight," Alison said as she slid her fingers through Emily's on her stomach.

"Not exactly the only time," Emily replied as she continued brushing her lips against Alison's neck, making the blonde shudder in her arms.

"But most of the time," Alison insisted. "The two of us having our cycles synced up is why Kira moved out on us."

"I think it was more she was tired of walking in and finding us having sex on the living room sofa."

Alison smiled an unrepentant sultry smile. "Yeah, there was that too." She turned in Emily's arms and pressed against her, slipping her arms around Emily's waist as she brushed her lips over Emily's chin.

"Thank god you woke me up the way you did this morning," Alison murmured as her lips softly caressed up Emily's cheek. "Before it was too late."

"Now I wish I'd blown off class and dragged you back to bed," Emily sighed regretfully as she turned her face and let her lips ghost over Alison's.

"Mmmm, me too," Alison moaned softly against her lips before adding, "God, please kiss me," Alison pleaded softly. "I've been dying for you to kiss me since you walked in the door."

Emily gladly obliged her girl as took Alison's face in her hands and pulled the blonde's lips to hers. She slid her tongue along Alison's bottom lip as her mouth fell open in surrender. Alison clutched Emily closer, moaning softly, as relief filled her.

For several minutes, the only sound in the kitchen was the soft meeting of lips, Alison's whimpers and Emily's quiet moans. Until Pepe barked from the doorway, clearly not happy about being ignored.

Emily pulled her lips away and both girls panted softly as they caught their breath. Alison's eyes fluttered open to find Emily grinning at her.

"He always gets so jealous when I kiss you," Emily mused before leaning forward and rubbing her nose against Alison's.

"I think he's jealous of you. He took your side this morning," Alison added as she shot Pepe a glare for his disloyalty.

Pepe barked again.

"Back off Pepe, or you're not getting any more chicken," Alison growled and Pepe snapped his jaw defiantly. "Don't you mouth off to me."

Emily laughed as she released Alison and grabbed the plates off the counter.

"Grab us two waters out of the fridge?" she asked Alison as she walked over to the table.

Alison did as she was asked, after putting the ice cream in the freezer, and then joined Emily. Pepe sat beside her and nudged her thigh repeatedly until she rested her hand on his head. He laid his head on her thigh, like before, and she rubbed his ears with one hand as she ate with the other, their tiff of a few minutes earlier forgotten by both of them.

Emily took a bite of her chicken and moaned softly. "This is so good, Ali."

Alison flushed with happiness as she grinned. "I followed your recipe for the sauce but I wasn't sure if it came out okay."

Emily's eyes softened. "Thank you, love," she said as she reached for Alison's hand under the table where it was resting on Pepe's head. "It tastes perfect."

Pepe lifted his head when Alison's hand disappeared and he nudged their joined hands until they rested them back on him.

"I'm sorry, Ali, for this morning," Emily said softly after they ate a few minutes in silence.

"I hate it when you close yourself off from me like that," Alison said as she took a bite of her salad.

"I know," Emily admitted softly.

Alison sighed and continued because she needed to say this. "And I know you hate it when I try to push you into something you don't want to do. But I'm not trying to bully you into it, Em."

"It still feels like it sometimes," Emily said honestly

"I just worry about you," Alison replied just as honestly.

Emily took a sip of her water. "Ali, you don't need to. Look I know you're coming at this from a place of love for me-"

"I am," Alison interrupted urgently, making Emily smile even though Alison interrupted her.

"And I'm so proud of you and how successful your book has become. You're so talented, Ali, so much more than you even realize, and I know your next book is going to be just as successful. But there is no way I can even begin to contribute to all this," Emily motioned to their surroundings.

Alison sighed exasperated. "Em, we've already talked about this, you don't need to."

"Yes, I do," Emily insisted as she sat back, pulling her hand from Alison's. "I have to contribute something. You need to understand that I have to pay my own way, at least as much as I can."

Alison frowned when Emily pulled away but she kept her eyes on her girl as she spoke.

"But you are right though," Emily continued and Alison arched her eyebrow in question. "I thought about it a lot today and I am spreading myself very thin. I can't let my grades suffer. I've come too far and worked too hard. So I'm going to take your _advice_," Emily emphasized the word because they both knew it wasn't advice Alison had been giving. "And cut back my hours at the Rec Center."

Alison's eyes lit up and Emily shot her a look, warning her not to get too excited. "I'm not quitting," she warned sternly. "I _need_ to work, Alison," she stressed again. "But if I'm careful I think I can cut back my hours by almost half and still have enough to cover my books and lab fees and pay for the stuff around here like we agreed, half of the food and utilities."

Alison was tempted to argue with her mermaid, insisting that she didn't need to worry about the utilities but she was so happy Emily was going to be cutting back her work schedule she decided to just be grateful for that and bite her tongue.

Of course, part of that was selfish on her part. Emily would be around more if she was working less, and even if she spent all that extra time studying, at least she'd be around.

"Please don't fight me on this, Ali," Emily asked and Alison shook her head vigorously.

"No fighting. I hate fighting with you." Alison fought the urge to wiggle happily in her seat, not wanting to give her girl any reason to change her mind.

"I hate fighting with you too," Emily replied as she reached for Alison's hand again.

And Alison couldn't hold it in any more. She stood up, stepped forward and straddled Emily's lap. Ash she sank down, she shoved her fingers into her mermaid's hair and fused her lips her girl's. Emily gripped her around the waist and pulled her closer, sliding her hands up Alison's back and gripping the back of her head.

The kiss was hurried and frantic and messy, a clashing of tongues and teeth and lips.

The room was filled with moans and whimpers and sighs.

And Pepe slinked away, quietly, having lived with these girls long enough to know he should get lost.

#############

After their frantic kiss slowed and softened and they finally pulled their lips away, Emily and Alison sat there stunned. That kind of ferocity only happened once in a while, and it drained both of them both physically and emotionally when it did.

For once, Alison was grateful that having sex wasn't an option for them, because she truly worried what they would have done to each other.

Alison kissed Emily once more, softy, before she stood up and sat back down in her chair. They ate dinner in relative silence after that, with no more words about the previous topic needed.

Once they finished eating, Alison took Pepe out for a short walk and to go to the bathroom while Emily cleaned the kitchen.

She didn't take him far, just around the block, but Pepe was happy to be out because Alison had been sulking most of the day so she hadn't taken him on their customary afternoon trek to the dog park.

By the time they returned, the kitchen was clean and Alison could hear the shower in their master bathroom running. She gave Pepe a few treats and some cuddles before she shut off the lights in the kitchen and living room and padded down the hallway to their bedroom.

Emily walked out of the bathroom wearing her usual sleeping attire, sweat shorts and a tank top.

"I feel so much better," she sighed as she towel dried her hair.

"Do you have to study tonight?" Alison asked as she grabbed her pajamas out of the bureau.

"It's Friday," Emily said as she smirked, wondering if their kiss earlier had melted Alison's brain cells.

"You studied last Friday night?" Alison pointed out.

"That's because I had a paper due Monday and I had three hundred pages to read first," Emily retorted as she sat on the edge of the bed and she released her hair from the knot she'd put it up in to take her shower.

"So no studying tonight then?" Alison looked hopeful and Emily's heart sighed softly. The blonde really was so beautiful.

"Nope," Emily replied. "Not in the mood. I'll do a little in the morning after my run."

Alison grinned happily. "You mean I'll actually be able to fall asleep _with _you and not hours before you like I have the past three weeks?"

"Only if you hurry up, otherwise I'm gonna probably fall asleep long before _you _tonight. It's been a long week." Emily brushed the snarls out of her hair.

Alison kissed Emily's temple before she walked to the bathroom. "Let me shower real quick.

Less than ten minutes later, Alison climbed onto bed beside Emily, who was on her side, already tucked under the covers. She opened her eyes and smiled as she watched Alison rub lotion on her arms and legs.

"I've missed you lately," Emily said as she yawned.

"I've missed you too," Alison said as she smiled down at her girl. "But I know it takes you a while to settle into a new semester."

"But you've had to unpack almost everything yourself. That's not fair."

"I don't mind," Alison shrugged. And she didn't. They'd only moved into the condo a week before Emily started classes, so they'd been there for just under a month. But Alison had almost everything unpacked, because she'd hit a little patch of writer's block and she needed to step away from her manuscript. "It kept me from feeling useless."

"You're anything but useless, Ali. Every writer gets writer's block, I imagine. You said you had a couple good days this week, right?"

"Until today," Alison replied but didn't need to elaborate because they both knew why. If things were even the slightest bit off between them, Alison was a wreck and Emily knew this. But she and her shrink were helping Alison to find ways of coping because never fighting was not a realistic option for the two of them.

Emily reached over and brushed her fingers over Alison's tattoo which was peeking out just above the waistband of her pajama pants.

"Mmmm," Alison hummed softly at the feel of her girl's soft fingers caressing her skin.

Then the hum turned into a moan as the Emily leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the tattoo.

"Don't tease me, Em," Alison pleaded softly as she set the lotion bottle on the bedside table.

"Who said I'm teasing," Emily whispered as she lifted the back of Alison's pajama top. Her lips brushed softly up Alison's back and she sat up, shifting closer. She slid her hands up Alison's sides, lifting her top as she went.

"Baby," Alison breathed as her eyes fell shut. "I haven't started yet but I'm gonna any second and I feel yucky." But the blonde lifted her arms anyway and let Emily slip her top off.

When Alison was free of the constricting fabric, Emily scooted to her knees before clamping her lips softly to the warm skin of the blonde's shoulder.

"This doesn't always have to end with sex," Emily murmured, wrapping her arms around Alison and sliding her hands up until she cupped both of the blonde's breasts in her hands.

"But I always want it to," Alison whimpered and ached her back as Emily rolled both of her nipples with her thumbs and forefingers.

Emily smiled against her neck. "Lie down with me." Emily guided Alison to lie on her side and the brunette settled behind her. She released one of Alison's breasts and slid her arm up under the pillow but her other hand kept teasing the blonde mercilessly.

Alison exhaled a shuddering breath as Emily pressed up against her back. The blonde turned her head and looked over her shoulder at her mermaid, who was smiling impishly at her and Alison could never resist that smile.

"You are the worst kind of tease, Emily Fields," Alison pouted before moaning again when Emily tweaked her nipple in response.

Emily looked down at her girlfriend and the urge to kiss her became too much, so she lowered her mouth, capturing Alison's lips, this time in a soft, slow, deep kiss. She released Alison's breast and lifted her hand to the blonde's face, cupping her cheek as she deepened the kiss.

Kissing Alison, Emily believed, was one of the closest things to perfection that existed. The blonde always surrendered to her. Always. Even when she was dominant, it was still a form of surrender for Alison because she held nothing back. And it always awed and humbled Emily that this beautiful and perfect girl, even with all her imperfections, was hers.

Alison whimpered and she pushed back against her girl. She lifted her arm and reached back, grasping Emily's hair with her fingers. She tugged gently on the soft strands, trying to pull her mermaid closer, holding her against her lips, wanting to consume her.

Emily's hand slid down Alison's body again, stopping briefly to caress her breasts again before sliding lower still and coming to rest against her abdomen.

Alison finally, reluctantly, tore her lips away from her girl's and she pressed her forehead against Emily's lips.

"Fuck, Em," she panted. "My heart feels like it's going to explode right out of my chest."

Emily gasped softly against her forehead, catching her breath and smiling. "Told you it didn't always have to end with sex."

Alison's lips curved into a grin as she turned back around because her neck was getting cricked. "Says the girl who just practically made me come from kissing alone. That's actually the second time you did that to me tonight," Alison purred softly, making Emily smile and kiss her tenderly once more.

Alison shivered softly in Emily's arms.

"Are you cold?" the brunette asked and Alison nodded. Both girls slipped under the covers, settling in the center of the mattress as Emily wrapped her arm around Alison from behind, again, and the blonde slid her fingers between Emily's and tugged her hand up between her breasts, encasing them between the soft globes.

She wiggled as she got comfortable and Emily moaned softly.

"What exactly was the point of getting me topless?" Alison asked once they were settled.

"This is reason enough?" Emily said as her fingertips rubbed against the side of Alison's breast, where the brunette knew she left a mark on Alison during their escapades that morning.

Alison sighed. "How boring are we? It's Friday night and we're at home in bed by-" she lifted her head and looked at the clock. "Ten thirty."

"Spending the night at home in bed with you sounds like a perfect Friday night to me."

Alison couldn't stop the soft laugh that escaped. "You're so cheesy sometimes, Em."

The brunette chuckled too as she shrugged before burying her face in her girlfriend's neck.

"So you never did tell me why your run was so interesting today."

Emily laughed as she remembered. "I got hit on by some guy watering his flowers."

"Excuse me?" Alison asked as she narrowed her eyes. "What guy?"

"Some guy who lives a couple blocks over."

"And how exactly did the two of you get to talking, if you were running?" Alison asked with an edge to her voice.

Emily either didn't hear it or ignored it. "I got a cramp in my calf and I slowed down to a walk and just happened to stop in front of his house to massage it out. He asked if I was okay and we talked for a couple minutes then I left. He seemed nice enough. Had beautiful blue eyes."

"Did he now?" Alison drawled, knowing her mermaid had a weakness for blue eyes.

"Not as beautiful as yours though," Emily replied as she lifted her head and pressed a quick kiss on Alison's lips as she grinned.

Alison rolled her eyes. "Nice try, Em. How often do you see him on your runs?"

Emily shrugged and lowered her head to the pillow behind Alison's. "I never noticed him before today. Come on let's go to sleep, I'm exhausted."

Alison was quiet for a minute before she spoke again. "Not that I can blame him, but what did he say to you when you told him you're gay?"

"I didn't."

Alison released Emily's hand and rolled over so she could look at her girl as her voice lowered an octave. "What do you mean you didn't?"

Emily opened one eye. "I mean I didn't tell him."

"Why not?" Alison scowled.

"Because we talked for barely two minutes, there wasn't really an opportune moment to just throw into the conversation that I was gay."

"How about when he asked you out?" Alison huffed as she turned over again and put a few inches between them now, even though Emily's hand remained on her hip.

"I was already walking away by then. I just said no thanks and I kept walking," Emily replied a little exasperated at Alison's behavior.

"Hmm," Ali hummed as she slid her hands under her pillow.

Emily yawned. "What do you mean hmm? When you hmmm, it's never a good thing."

"Hmmm," Alison hummed again and Emily yanked Alison closer, tightening her arm around her.

"You can't possibly be jealous, Ali," Emily laughed softly as she nuzzled the back of Alison's neck.

Alison lowered one hand and, unable to resist, slid her fingers through Emily's over her stomach. "Why would I be jealous?" she scoffed, hoping Emily didn't hear the slight twinge in her voice.

Emily leaned up and looked down at her girlfriend. She slipped her hand beneath her chin and turned the blondes' face to look at her.

"Exactly," Emily replied as she leaned down and kissed her girl _again_.

She kissed her until the blonde stopped trying to wriggle away and she surrendered once again.

She kissed her until Alison was breathless and purring and writhing in Emily's arms.

When their lips parted, Alison pouted. "You don't fight fair."

Emily smiled and caressed Alison's cheek, brushing her thumb gently over her kiss swollen lips, before lowering her hand and her head to the pillow, and pulling the blonde closer once more.

"Goodnight, love," Emily murmured and Alison's lips curled again at Emily's term of endearment.

"I love you, baby," Alison whispered and Emily murmured her love in return sleepily.

Emily fell into a deep slumber pretty quickly, but for a long time, Alison lay awake in the dark.

###############

The following Monday, Alison stood in front of the bathroom mirror, applying the last of her makeup. She'd full on started her period on Sunday and she was uncomfortable and irritated and in a, just all around, foul mood.

She'd gone running with Emily on Saturday, which was a very rare occurrence because Alison was not a morning person. And she knew Emily was fully aware of her agenda by getting up that early, on a weekend, but surprisingly her girl didn't give her any shit about it. Sometimes Emily knew her too well. But then again, sometimes it seemed like her mermaid had no clue.

Alison had wanted to see this flower watering predator, as she'd dubbed him, but unfortunately he apparently wasn't a morning person on the weekend, either, so she'd gotten up for nothing.

Now it was Monday and Emily and Pepe were out on their run again, because she normally took Sundays off. Alison couldn't go with her this morning because she had a breakfast meeting, but all the blonde had been able to focus on since Emily left was whether or not the predator would hit on her girl again. And what her girl would say.

Her jealousy was irrational. It wasn't like she didn't know that. Alison knew Emily loved her and if her girl was anything, it was loyal. And being jealous of guys was just ridiculous.

Unlike Alison, Emily was a full on lesbian and guys weren't even on her radar. But the knowledge of all those things still didn't keep her fear, that Emily would one day tire of and leave her, at bay.

It was all so twisted. Part of Alison even loved that Emily was so wanted, but the mere thought of anyone else's hands on her, male or female, made Alison feel like she was being choked; and it reminded her to being buried alive.

Those moments when her air had been running out, when she'd been reaching for a reprieve from the crushing weight on her lungs, before Mrs. Grunwald had grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the ground and back to life.

That was the way it felt and the kind of fear that coursed through Alison's body when she thought about Emily with anyone else.

Alison wasn't the easiest person to deal with but she tried harder with Emily than anyone. And she couldn't blame men or women for wanting her girl. She was a fucking goddess.

Alison and her shrink had spent a good chunk of the last four years, getting Alison to a place where she didn't feel the constant need to manipulate everything around her to her benefit. But those deep rooted insecurities still reared their ugly heads some days and although she trusted in Emily's love for her, it didn't alleviate the lingering fear that all her baggage wouldn't one day finally drive her girl away.

It wasn't Emily's fault, but she always bore the brunt of Alison's irrational behavior. She just wished her mermaid would sometime see how her own behavior triggered the blonde's mood swings.

Alison looked over as Emily walked into the bathroom. The brunette smiled but looked at her with surprise since it was only six forty five in the morning.

"Why are you showered and dressed already?"

"I told you the other day that I have an eight o'clock breakfast meeting with my editor this morning."

"That's right," Emily said as she took a swig from her water bottle. "I forgot. How are you feeling?"

"Crampy. Crabby. I'm in no mood for traffic and why did I ever agree to meet Donna in Beverly Hills during rush hour? Aren't you glad you asked?" Alison smirked as she looked over her shoulder at Emily, who she could tell was gauging the blonde's mood.

"I'm sorry you don't feel well," Emily said as she walked up behind Alison and wrapped her arms around the blonde from behind, pressing her hand against her lower abdomen the way she knew Alison liked when she was feeling this way.

Alison sighed and leaned back against Emily and met her girl's eyes in the mirror.

"Why are you never as crampy and crabby as me?"

Emily smiled and swept Alison's hair over her shoulder before pressing kiss against her skin. "The exercise helps."

"I exercise," Alison said as she scowled and Emily quirked her eyebrow. "I do," Alison insisted. "I just don't feel the need to do it every day."

"But once in a while wouldn't be so bad."

"Are you saying I need to exercise?" Alison snapped as she tensed in her Emily's arms and she felt the brunette sigh.

"I love every inch of your body exactly the way it is, Ali," Emily answered honestly and Alison knew her girl well enough to know she was speaking the absolute truth. "But I think you'd feel better if you did something once in a while."

"I do. I run with you _once in a while_," she mimicked Emily's words, but not nastily, so Emily didn't take offense. "Maybe I'll take up running with you every morning."

"If you can get up," Emily said, her tone reflecting her doubt, as she released Alison and leaned against the counter beside her.

"Do you not want me to?" she asked cautiously.

"I'd love for you to run with me every day. Pepe and I both would."

Alison humphed. "Well, he's falling down on the job so maybe I'll have to start."

Alison was feeling some major irrational resentment toward Pepe for not biting the flower watering predator.

"What job?"

"Nothing. Never mind," Alison said vaguely as she put her makeup away in the drawer. "So, did you see your boyfriend this morning?" she finally asked, needing to know.

"I didn't notice him," Emily said as she rolled her eyes and pushed off the counter, stepping in front of Alison and gripping her hips, pulling her closer. "I love that dress on you," she murmured as she leaned her head down and pressed a kiss to Alison's cleavage just above the neckline of her dress.

"Don't suck up to me," Alison said as she released a shuddering sigh. Her girl certainly knew exactly what to do to distract her. "It's not going to let you off the hook," Alison added softly once Emily pulled back and lifted her head.

Emily quirked an eyebrow as she let her fingers gently caress Alison's hips. "I didn't know I was on the hook for anything."

Alison tilted her head as she looked at her girl. "No, I guess you probably didn't," she said and sighed again.

"Ali," Emily reached for her hand as she tried walking around her.

"I've got to go, Em. I have to get to Beverly Hills by eight."

"Why do I feel like I've done something wrong only I don't have any idea what it is?"

"I don't know. Why do you feel that way?" Alison gave her a pointed look.

Emily huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, tired of Alison's fluctuating mood. "Ali, I'm not in the mood for riddles. You're not the only one not feeling great today so why don't you just spit out what's bothering you."

"There's nothing bothering me, Em," she replied with a sigh.

Emily shot her a disbelieving look. "This can't be about that guy?"

"I'll see you tonight," the blonde said, ignoring the question, as she pressed a brief kiss to Emily's cheek as she walked by.

"Love you, too," Emily muttered after Alison had left the room, fully aware that the blonde hadn't said the words to her first.

####################

**12 Days Later…..**

"Why aren't you telling this guy that you're gay and to back the fuck off?" Alison screeched as she and Emily faced off in their living room.

Emily clenched her hands at her sides and gritted her teeth. "Ali, I don't go around telling every person I meet what my sexual orientation is."

"I'm not asking you to," Alison replied harshly. "But this guy has asked you out multiple times."

"And I said I'm not interested multiple times," Emily pointed out.

Alison slammed her hand down on the table behind the sofa. "But you didn't tell him you were gay or that you had a girlfriend."

Pepe, who had been sleeping in his dog bed in the corner of the room, quickly and quietly slinked out of the room and then bolted down the hall to his dog bed in the bedroom.

"It's none of his business," Emily insisted. "My telling him I'm not interested should be enough.

Alison glared at her clueless girlfriend. She loved her beyond reason but right now she wanted to strangle her.

"Well, clearly, it isn't because he keeps doing it."

"I can't help that, Ali."

"You can stop talking to him. Or," Alison continued sarcastically. "Here's an idea. You could tell him you're gay and you have a _girlfriend_. A _girlfriend_ you fuck on a regular basis, although you haven't fucked her in almost two weeks."

Emily reached up and tugged roughly on her hair, biting back the retort on her tongue.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Alison demanded and Emily looked at her like she'd grown a second head.

"What?" Emily could only sputter incredulously. "Where would you ever get-"

"Then what is the problem?" Alison screeched as she interrupted her girl. "Where is your gay pride anyway?" Alison narrowed her eyes as she challenged her girlfriend.

Emily sighed. She was so tired of fighting about this. "Ali, you're being ridiculous."

Emily knew even before all the words had left her mouth what a monumental mistake they were, but she couldn't take them back now.

Alison's eyes flashed dangerously, hurt and anger flooding her system, and she bit her tongue hard enough she could swear she tasted blood.

"You know what, I have to go," she said abruptly.

"What?" Emily looked at her shocked. "We're in the middle of talking about this Ali."

"No," Alison spat as she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She would not let Emily see her cry over this. "We're in the middle of a fight about this. And I have to leave right now before I say something I don't mean and I regret."

She grabbed her purse, from where it was sitting on the coffee table.

"Alison," Emily used her girlfriend's full name as she stepped forward urgently. "Don't leave. I don't want to fight with you about this but I don't know what you want from me."

"Yes, you do, Em," Alison replied harshly as she yanked the front door open.

Kira was standing there with her hand in the air about to knock.

"Oh, hey, great timing," their friend smiled but Alison just barreled past her without a word. "Ali," Kira said surprised and confused. "Hey. Where are you going?"

"Out," Ali spat as she stormed down the walkway.

"But I thought we were going to-" But Alison was already halfway down the walkway. "-a movie," Kira trailed off as Alison yanked the car door open and got in.

Kira turned to look at Emily standing in the middle of the living room looking like she'd been punched in the gut.

Oh, this was not good.

Kira turned back to look out the door again, watching helplessly as Alison backed out of the driveway and slammed the car into gear before she sped away.

**To Be Continued…..**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own them. What else is new?**

**Eh… I don't like this trying to break these chapters up to make them shorter… it totally screws with my flow so I'll just stick to my longer chapters for all future stories from now on.**

**This chapter was originally longer but I had to cut it off somewhere so this seemed like the logical place.**

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing.**

**Although it only shows up very briefly in this chapter… it's time for "The T-Shirt" to finally make an appearance. ;-)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>The T-Shirt<strong>

**Chapter 3**

Kira turned back and walked into the condo to see Emily sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands, tugging on the long strands of her brunette hair.

"What the heck was that about?" she asked as she shut the door. "Where the heck is Angry Ali going?"

Emily sighed and looked up. "Don't even ask," she said as she leaned back on the sofa.

"That doesn't sound good," Kira said as she sat on the sofa beside the brunette. "What are you two fighting about now?"

"What do you mean now? We don't fight that much."

"No, you don't," Kira agreed. "So when you do it's usually the end of the world as we know it," Kira teased, trying to lighten the moment but Emily just looked at her blandly, not in the mood.

Kira sobered. "Come on, Em. Tell me what's going on."

"It's this stupid guy on my running route," she growled, wishing she'd never even told Alison about Daren in the first place. Then she felt guilty for even thinking that because she didn't lie to Alison.

"The one who keeps asking you out?" Kira asked. Emily had told Kira about last weekend while they were at a UCLA swim meet. Even though they'd graduated six months earlier they still attended the meets sometimes.

"Yeah," Emily nodded her head before she closed he eyes.

"What about him?"

"He asked me out again this morning."

"That's what's got her swirling all around like the Tasmanian Devil? Did you say yes or something?" Kira arched her brow with surprise.

"Kira," Emily looked pointedly at her friend. "Really?"

"So that was Jealous Ali that stormed by me before, not just Angry Ali. I should have known the walk," Kira said more to herself than Emily.

The brunette shook her head, ignoring Kira's use of her nicknames for Alison. The she scowled. "I don't know why she gets jealous of guys."

"Yeah," Kira agreed. "I mean, I can see her getting her panties in a twist if a girl hit on you, but guys aren't even on your radar... or gaydar, if you will." Kira smirked at her own joke.

Emily gave Kira a pointed look, clearly not amused. "I don't understand why she gets jealous at all. I've never looked at anyone else."

"Do you even understand why she does half of what she does?" Kira asked.

"No," Emily huffed, although that wasn't entirely true.

The brunette knew Alison better than anyone and, after all this time, understood her motivations instinctively most of the time. But her unreasonable jealousy sometimes, Emily just didn't get.

"She just won't let this go for some reason. It's ridiculous and I made the mistake of saying that so she stormed out of here."

"Do you two have PMS?" Kira asked curiously.

"No," Emily shook her head.

"Is it that time of the month then? She's always more irrational when the two of you are on the rag."

"I hate that phrase," Emily said as she blanched. "And, no, but that's part of the problem."

"Huh?" Kira looked a little afraid to ask her next question. "Do I even want to know what kinds of kinky things you two are into now?"

"Kira," Emily sighed and shook her head again in exasperation. "You have absolutely no boundaries."

Kira shrugged and smirked. "Ali's rubbed off on me I guess. So if the two of you aren't on your _periods_," Kira emphasized the word for Emily's sake. "Then why don't you just fuck her senseless. That always calms her right the fuck down."

She and Alison hadn't had sex since that morning Daren had first asked her out. It had been almost two long weeks and neither, she or Alison, did well if they went that long without being intimate.

"Like I said that's part of the problem. We had our periods and then I had my first couple exams of the semester and then she's been barely talking to me for the past three days, so..." Emily trailed off, hoping Kira got the hint.

"What? It's been that long? This is more serious than I thought," Kira said as she bit her lip, but Emily could hear the sarcasm in her tone.

"This isn't funny."

"So that was not only Angry Ali, it was Jealous Ali and Horny Ali? My god, Em, we can't let that Ali be unleashed on the world, we have to get her back here."

"Kira, knock it off," Emily snapped as she scowled.

Kira punched Emily's good shoulder. "Then stop being such a drama queen. Let the girl work off some steam. She's probably going shopping. She'll buy some pretty shoes, and a purse, and a frilly little dress that's too short to be considered decent, just so she can tease you relentlessly when she wears it. Then she'll come back here later and you can defile each other six ways to Sunday."

"That won't solve this, Kira," Emily insisted, although she wished Kira was right.

Emily knew a big part of this was the fact that she and Alison hadn't been intimate in far too long. Intimacy, not just the sex, was a very important aspect of their relationship. The more time they let go by, the more tense and out of sorts they both felt.

Kira rolled her eyes. "Sure it will. It always does."

"No, it doesn't and why do you always use stupid nicknames for Ali anyway?" Emily said temporarily changing the subject.

"I have names for all of Ali's personalities," Kira said as if it was obvious.

"Ali doesn't have multiple personalities, Kira." No it was Emily's turn to roll her eyes.

"Your girlfriend is Sybil, Em. Her personalities have personalities," Kira replied wryly. "There's Crazy Ali and Angry Ali, and Horny Ali and Jealous Ali and Protective Ali and Sappy Ali, which is the Ali we see most of the time. That's the Ali that turns to mush at the sight of you and can't keep her hands off you," Kira explained as Emily shot her a bland look. "Then there's Bitchface Ali, who is my personal favorite, as long as she's not turned on me."

"Those are moods, not personalities, Kira."

Pepe wandered into the room, looking hesitant, but when he saw Kira he loped over for some petting.

"Po-_tay_-to, Po-_tah_-to," Kira replied. "The point is your girl has a _mood_ for every occasion. And over the years I've felt the need to name them."

"I don't even have the energy to reply to that."

Kira laughed as she rubbed the dog's ears. "Good. Now, come on. Go get showered and dressed and let's go to the movies."

"I don't feel like going to the movies anymore."

"No, way. You're not ditching me too," Kira complained grumpily as she stood and tugged Emily to her feet. "I ditched Todd today for the two of you." Kira's tone softened as she rubbed Emily's arm. "I've seen the two of you fight for four years now, trust me, I'm an expert. She'll be back when she's calmed down. And you'll make up and all will be right with the world."

Emily hesitated and sighed. "I don't know."

"What are you going to do? Sit around here moping all day? Quit being such a chick, Em. I'm giving you thirty minutes while I hang out with your dog and watch TV, then I'm dragging you out of here whether you're naked or not."

"The movie doesn't start for almost three hours."

"So we'll go hang out in the village while we wait. Come on, now," Kira tapped her watch. "Clock's ticking."

Emily huffed out an exaggerated sigh. "Ali's right. You're really a pain in the ass sometimes."

"Thank you," Kira grinned unrepentantly as she slid to the floor and started rubbing Pepe's belly. "Now, hurry up."

####################

Alison sat, fidgeting, on her shrink's sofa as the woman in question sat across from her, patiently waiting for Alison to speak.

"Thanks for seeing me on a Saturday like this, Marianne," Alison said.

The woman smiled. "I was here catching up on some paperwork and you sounded like you really needed to talk. I told you that you could call me anytime, Alison."

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have to deal with your patients on the weekend."

"You're more to me than just a patient, Alison. You should know that by now." When Alison didn't respond, Marianne continued. "Why don't you tell me what happened that made you feel the need to see me today?"

Alison bit her lip as she looked away. "Em and I had a fight," she said softly and she rubbed her hands over her thighs anxiously.

"Okay," Marianne said slowly. "You've had disagreements with Emily before though and they didn't drive you to seek me out."

"This wasn't just a disagreement," Alison replied as she looked back and met Marianne's eyes. "It was a fight or it was going that way fast. It started to get really bad and I could feel it building up in me."

"You could feel what building up?" Marianne asked.

"That urge to lash out and cut her down. But I don't do that to her. I won't ever do that to her again," Alison said fiercely before sagging in her seat. "So I walked out."

"Well, it's good you recognized it coming and took steps to counteract it. That's progress, Alison," Marianne encouraged the blonde. "You should be proud of yourself."

"Proud?" Alison scoffed. "Sure. Proud that for a brief second I wanted to verbally eviscerate and hurt the girl I love."

"Proud that you didn't," Marianne replied. "Proud that your love for her was greater than your need to feel better about yourself. That's a big step for someone with your disorder."

Alison sighed as she felt tears welling in her eyes.

"What was your fight about?"

"My stupid jealousy," Alison said with distaste.

"What were you jealous of?"

"Some guy hit on her a couple of times." Alison admitted a bit reluctantly because even she knew how absurd it sounded.

"A guy?" Marianne seemed surprised by this and looked up from the notepad she was writing on.

"I didn't say it was rational," Alison scowled.

"Why would you be jealous of a guy, Alison? You've never been before."

Alison shrugged. "Sure I have. I just didn't tell you about it."

Marianne arched a brow at Alison's reply.

"Emily is gay. And she loves you. Why would a guy hitting on her make you feel jealous?"

The thing Alison liked about Marianne was she never sounded condescending when she spoke. She was just matter-of-fact and didn't pull any punches. It was what Alison appreciated most about her.

"I'm jealous of everyone who gives her attention like that," Alison replied just as matter-of-factly, before adding. "She's mine."

"Emily isn't a possession."

That wasn't the first time someone made a comment like that to Alison and it made her scowl.

"I know that," she snapped. "But she's still mine. There's a reason my name is tattooed on her body. Why her name is tattooed on mine. It's permanent."

"Tattoos can be removed," Marianne pointed out as she tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Not without leaving a permanent scar in its place," Alison retorted and her scowl deepened. "And why are you being like this? I hate it when you act like this. I thought you were supposed to make me feel better."

Marianne shook her head. "I'm not here to make you feel better, Alison. I'm here to help you cope with your lifelong personality disorder so you can hopefully live a full life with healthy relationships."

"Well, you're doing a pretty crappy job of it, because my relationship is a mess right now."

"The two of you had an argument, Alison; it's not the end of the world."

"It feels like it is," Alison replied peevishly.

"I know you've had Emily sit in on some of our sessions in the past, would you like to set up an appointment for the two of you to come in together?" Marianne suggested.

"No," Alison rejected her suggestion. "I wanted Em in those sessions because I wanted her to be able to understand me better, not because I wanted a mediator."

"Okay, what do you want then?"

Alison growled and slammed her fists down on the cushions beside her thighs.

"I want to stop feeling this way. I want to stop being jealous of stupid stuff. Of guys. Because it's irrational. Even of girls, because I know Emily loves me. I know she does." The tears she'd been valiantly holding back finally slipped from Alison's eyes despite her effort to keep them at bay. "I just don't know why she does, because I'm out of control and crazy. I just want to stop being crazy."

Marianne leaned forward to the coffee table between them and grabbed the box of tissues, handing it to Alison.

"You're not crazy, Alison. You have a mental illness. One that you're working very hard to manage. But management sometimes has its setbacks. That doesn't make you crazy."

"Then why do I feel crazy?" Alison hiccupped softly before her tears started anew.

##################

"Come on, I'll text her to meet us at Pomodoro's," Kira said as she and Emily exited the theater.

"She won't come," Emily said and sighed.

"She can't still be mad. It's been over eight hours." Kira pulled out her phone and brought up Ali's number.

"Have you met Ali?" Emily asked as she shot Kira a look.

"Just leave it to Kira," Kira replied, grinning, as she referred to herself in the third person.

"I think you're wasting your time," Emily said, although she hoped Kira could talk Ali into meeting them. She was worried about the blonde.

Emily had tried texting her twice, asking if she was alright and when she was coming home, but all she got were short, curt replies; a single word "yes" that she was alright and another single word "later," in answer to when she was coming home.

"Let me run to the bathroom real quick," Emily said and Kira nodded absently as she typed.

"Okay, I'll meet you outside."

Kira stepped out into the cool early evening air just as she hit send.

_**To Ali: Bitch, untwist your panties and meet us for pizza a Pomodoro's** _

Alison's reply came almost instantly. Short and simple.

**_From Ali: No!_**

Kira's eyes narrowed at her phone as she typed her reply.

**_To Ali: Fine. I'll get your girl drunk and use all my influence to convince her abstinence is the best choice for her entire first semester of med school. You know how impressionable she is when she's drunk on good Italian wine ;P_**

Kira leaned against the side of the building as she waited for Alison's reply. It came almost as quickly as the first.

**_From Ali: Bitch, I will murder you in your sleep_**

Kira barked out a laugh. "There's my girl," she murmured to herself.

**_To Ali: Then get your ass over there. We'll be there in 15_**

No reply came this time, so she slipped her phone back into her purse just as Emily walked outside.

"Did you get her?" Emily asked as she slipped her jacket on.

"Oh, yeah," Kira chuckled.

"Is she coming?" Emily looked hopeful.

"Not sure yet."

Emily's hopeful look morphed into a frown and Kira threw her arm over Emily's shoulder.

"Come on Doc, let's just go eat. She'll either come or she won't. And if she doesn't, you'll just have to make her come later."

###############

Emily and Kira slid into their booth at the back of the restaurant as Kira checked her phone again.

"Still no reply?" Emily said as she pursed her lips. "I told you she wouldn't come."

"She might," Kira replied as she put her phone on the table and huffed. "Now she's just getting on my nerves."

"Did she reply at all?" Emily asked as she looked at the menu. She was starting to really worry, now, because Ali had been MIA for over nine hours now.

"Yeah, twice," Kira said as she tapped her fingers on the table. "But nothing since we left the theater."

"What did you text her?"

Kira's lips curved into a smirk that had Emily narrowing her eyes.

"What did you text her, Kira?"

Before Kira could reply, their waiter walked up.

"It's my girls," Marco, their regular waiter greeted as he smiled. As their favorite pizza place, they ate at the Pomodoro several times a month and always asked for Marco.

Marco was in his late twenties and he was an up and coming artist from Milan. But like so many up and coming artists, he had another job to pay the bills, for the time being anyway.

Emily and Alison had bought one of his paintings at one of his shows over the summer. It was a watercolor landscape of the Italian country side and it was hanging in their living room.

Marco and Alison had an ongoing tease fest; one where she teased him relentlessly, by teasing Emily relentlessly, by not keeping her hands or lips off her girl every time Marco came to the table. Like most straight guys they became friends with, Marco was enamored of the beautiful blonde and brunette who only had eyes for each other.

"Hey, Marco," Kira grinned and Emily also smiled at him.

"Hi, Marco."

"Where's my blondie," he asked as he looked around. He always referred to Alison as "my blondie" and he was one of the only people alive she let get away with using both the possessive and her hair color to describe her. "She in the ladies room?"

"She's not here," Emily said and Marco frowned.

"What? Why has blondie forsaken me?" he asked dramatically as he sat down in the booth beside Emily.

"Em got in trouble," Kira offered and Emily glared at her.

"Ahhh," he nodded his head knowingly. He bumped her playfully with his shoulder. "I get in trouble with my girl all the time, so I feel ya."

"I didn't do anything wrong," Emily said. "At least I think I didn't," she added more softly.

"Neither do I," he shot her a sympathetic look. "But that hardly matters, now does it?"

"You're not helping, Marco," Emily said as she scowled.

Marco chuckled as he stood. "Don't worry about my blondie. She'll come around I'm sure. Just flash those big beautiful brown eyes at her and she'll melt. Now do you two want your usual?" he asked.

"Yeah," Kira replied as she handed him the menu. "But I think we should get a bottle of wine though."

"Kira, I told you I'm not getting drunk."

"Who says you have to get drunk. Nothing wrong with getting a little buzzed though. It will be easier to deal with Ali later if you are."

"That's doubtful."

Kira waved her hand dismissively. "Don't listen to her Marco; bring us a bottle of the Merlot."

"You got it." Marco walked away and Emily sighed.

"You're going to be drinking most of that yourself."

"We'll see," Kira replied as she picked up her phone and started typing out a text.

"What are you doing?"

"Texting Ali again."

"Don't harass her Kira. You're only going to make it worse for me later." Emily fiddled with the silverware on the table, just to do something with her hands.

"Now that's where we disagree," Kira said absently as she focused on her phone. "See, if I can get her to transfer her anger to me, then you'll be in the clear. Think of this as me helping you out."

Emily laughed, unable to help herself. "It's frightening how you rationalized that to yourself."

Kira grinned as she continued typing. "Thank you."

Marco came back with two waters, two wine glasses and a bottle of Merlot.

"What are you texting to her?" Emily asked curiously.

"Probably best you don't know," Kira replied with a smirk. "Plausible deniability."

"Don't get her too mad at you because I'm too much in the shithouse to help you out of it."

Kira and Marco laughed as he worked at opening the bottle of wine.

"Marco, I'm using you as an accomplice in my text, is that cool?"

He nodded as he poured a both glasses of wine. "If it gets my blondie down here so I can see her gorgeous face, absolutely."

"You'll probably regret that," Emily murmured as she took a sip of her wine. She didn't intend to drink much but as soon as the liquid hit her tongue she found herself taking another deeper gulp.

**_To Ali: Marco's helping me get your mermaid drunk. You sure you don't want to come down here? Last chance before you find yourself having to use your own hand to get yourself off for the next few months…_**

Kira chuckled to herself as she put her phone down.

"I don't like the sound of that chuckle," Emily said as she took yet another sip of her wine.

Kira's phone beeped and she looked down at it.

**_From Ali: They will never find your body!_**

Kira laughed out loud. "I love your girl something fierce, Em."

"What did she say?"

Her laughed turned into a sigh. "Something very Ali but unfortunately I don't think she's coming."

Emily tried not to let the disappointment fill her but it consumed her in seconds. If Alison was refusing to meet them then she was clearly still angry.

"I think you might have to grovel a little bit there tonight, Doc." Kira said and she picked up the bottle of Merlot when she noticed Emily's glass already almost empty.

"I don't even know what I'm groveling for."

"Sure you do," Kira said as she poured Emily more wine and Emily looked at her confused.

"Kira, I'm gay," Emily said louder than she realized and several people around them looked over.

"You want to say that a little louder?" Kira choked on her wine as she chuckled. "I don't think they heard you at the front of the restaurant."

Emily looked around and a blush crept up her cheeks.

"And not that I don't love when you let gay flag fly, Em, but are you trying to make a point?"

"Her being jealous about this is asinine." Emily said as she took another swig from her newly refilled glass.

Emily knew she shouldn't be drinking, especially since she knew she and Alison were going to have to talk when she got home, but the wine tasted too good and was finally loosening the knot she'd had in her shoulders all day.

Kira looked at her friend patiently. "Not to put heterosexual stereotypes on to the two of you, but you really are the guy in your relationship aren't you?"

Emily put her glass down on the table and glared. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Completely unfazed, Kira smiled sardonically. "It means sometimes you are so freaking clueless, it even amazes me. I can't believe you don't get it."

"Get what?" Emily asked as she sat back, starting to feel warm from the wine.

"What she's upset about," Kira said in an obvious tone.

"She's upset that a guy hit on me."

Kira shook her head. "No, she's not. Your cluelessness is sometimes really cute, Em. But sometimes you just really need a swift kick in the ass."

"What the hell, Kira?" Emily hissed as she leaned forward. "Whose side are you on anyway?"

Kira laughed at Emily's affronted tone. "You know I usually take yours, even if, for no other reason, just to piss Ali off. But this time I'm on your girl's side."

"I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone," Emily sighed as she sat back again.

Kira grinned. "I love it when you use cross-generational references. It's the teacher in me."

"Kira, focus," Emily growled. "What am I being clueless about right now?"

Kira slid her fingertip around the mouth of her wineglass as she debated what to say.

"Do you know how she looks when you introduce her as your girlfriend? Or when you just even talk about her and she overhears you talking to other people and telling them about her?"

"I don't even know what _you're_ talking about?" Emily said, Kira's point clearly lost on her somewhat fuzzy brain.

"She lights up like a Christmas tree," Kira continued as if Emily hadn't said anything. "There is nothing more in the world that makes your girl happy than for the _world _to know she's yours."

"What are you saying, Kira. My brain is on overload right now."

Kira tilted her head as she spoke again. "This isn't about her being jealous of a guy, who hit on you. Yeah, she gets a little crazy when anyone hits on you, male or female. That's just Ali, but she knows it means nothing to you, especially if it's a guy."

"So what is the problem then?" Emily asked exasperated.

Kira shook her head. "I can't believe I have to explain the inner workings of your girlfriend's mind to you. Although her mind isn't what's upset right now."

"Kira, will you focus please. I'm beginning to think you have ADD."

"My mother always thought that when I was a kid too."

"Kira," Emily growled.

"You've hurt her feelings, Em, plain and simple." Emily blinked in surprise at Kira's words but her friend just kept going. "And she's lashing out in her Crazy Ali way because you don't realize it and she doesn't want to tell you because she's knows deep down how irrational she's being. But, she feels like you're denying her. By not telling this guy that you're gay and you have a girlfriend, you're not telling the world who she is to you."

"She's everything," Emily said softly, still trying to process Kira's words because she had absolutely no idea she'd hurt Alison.

"Then what's the problem?" Kira asked. "Why haven't you told him about her?"

"Because he means nothing. I've spoken to him exactly three times for a total of four minutes, and I have no desire to exchange conversation with him ever again."

"But she's supposed to mean everything," Kira said, throwing Emily's words back at her, but not maliciously. "She tells people who you are to her; who don't even want to know who you are to her." Kira stopped and thought about her sentence to make sure it made sense. When she decided it did, she continued. "And you do it too, _usually_."

Emily felt her stomach drop and she swore she was going to throw up all of a sudden. "Has she talked to you about this?"

Kira tilted her head as she looked at Emily across the table.

"No, but I get Crazy Ali. Sometimes better than you."

##################

Alison looked up from the Cosmo magazine as she heard the front door open. She looked over at the clock. It was after nine but she wasn't surprised.

Pepe got up from his dog bed in the corner and walked out of the bedroom as Alison shifted slightly and tugged the long shirt she was wearing down over her thighs. It didn't go very low, but enough so that it made it look like it was just another sleep shirt.

She heard Emily greet Pepe in the hallway and by the tone of her voice and the slight slur of her words, Alison could tell Kira did as she threatened and got her girl drunk, although she didn't sound too bad.

Drunk Emily was a really handsy Emily and usually Alison loved that, offering her body up for Emily's pleasure and exploration, but she had some things to say to her girl tonight and having Emily's wandering hands distracting her was not going to help keep the blonde focused.

Emily leaned against the doorframe and looked at Alison sitting with her back against the headboard, feet out in front of her, with an issue of Cosmo on her lap. She knew her girlfriend well enough to know she wasn't reading, just flipping the pages absently as she waited for Emily to speak.

The bottle of wine she and Kira had split over dinner was just enough to take the edge off what had been a pretty shitty day. She was feeling warm and loose but, at that moment, as she looked at Alison, her tongue was anything but. Sometimes the very sight of the blonde still left Emily tongue tied and almost always left her breathless.

She had so many things she wanted to say to Alison, especially after her and Kira's talk at dinner. So many things she wanted to apologize for and so many words of love and reassurance she wanted to express.

But more than anything, at that very moment, Emily just wanted to fall into Alison's arms, bury her face in her girl's neck and just breathe her in.

"Hi," she managed to say quietly after a minute of just looking at the blonde.

"Hi," Alison replied just as softly, still not looking up. "Did you and Kira have a nice dinner?"

"It would have been better if you'd come," Emily replied as she walked carefully toward the bed, trying to gauge her girlfriend's mood.

So far, so good, but Emily didn't want to make a mistake and get into more trouble.

"No it wouldn't have," Alison said as she finally looked up.

"Marco missed you," Emily said as sat down on the end of the bed. "I missed you," she added honestly as she looked in Alison's eyes. The blonde's eyes were soft and a little sad, but they crinkled slight in the corners as her lips curved up just slightly.

Alison couldn't keep her lips from curling up as she looked at her girl. Emily was so cute when she was drunk, her facial features always so soft and playful and her eyes glassy and mischievous. She was a fun drunk, most of the time, and she was horny drunk, hornier than even Alison, and that was saying something.

Alison was still a little mad at her mermaid, still a little hurt, but not as much as she'd been earlier. Her talk with Marianne made her realize that she was probably being a little too hard on her girl.

Emily would never deliberately hurt the blonde and she knew that. The brunette was too sweet and kind and loving to do anything so intentional, but the fact that she didn't realize what it was doing to Alison is probably what bothered the blonde the most.

Granted, as Marianne pointed out, Alison had never told Emily how her avoidance, of telling the flower watering predator that she had a girlfriend, was making the blonde feel. And, although Emily knew Alison better than anyone and was very good as interpreting her crazy most of the time, she wasn't a mind reader and couldn't be expected to be one.

Emily reached a hand out and placed it gently on Alison's foot, just needing to touch her.

"You got a pedicure?" she observed as her lips quirked in a drunken little smile.

Alison wiggled her toes. "Yep."

Emily brushed her fingers gently over the top of Alison's foot and down over her toes, making the blonde shudder and sigh softly. "Pretty color," she commented softly.

"It's called Hooker Red," Alison said as she smirked and Emily grinned as she looked back up at her.

Emily's smile slipped away and she titled her head as she noticed what Alison was wearing.

"Ali, what does your shirt say?" she asked curiously as her fingers, of their own volition, moved higher, caressing up over Alison's ankle.

Drunk, handsy Emily was already on the move.

Alison smirked and tossed her magazine aside as she sat up straighter, tugging the fabric of her shirt down so the words, over her breasts, smoothed out.

"I bought you an early birthday present today."

"You bought that for me?" Emily arched her brow and because of the alcohol in her system, it looked more comical than skeptical.

Alison nodded, hoping that Emily would realize that the shirt really was a peace offering and not a slap in the face. The idea had come to her from something Marianne had said this afternoon and she immediately headed downtown to the fashion district to get the shirt made. The fashion district had much better quality clothing than the places in Hollywood that put personalized messages on shirts.

"And is there a reason you thought I'd want a shirt that said 'Lesbian and proud of it?'" Emily murmured, as she read the shirt, before looking down again as her hand moved slowly up Alison's calf, gently massaging the warm skin.

To distract herself from Emily's teasing touch, Alison shifted and tried to move her leg away but Emily's hand just followed, her fingertips brushing softly just below Alison's knee.

"Well I figured if you didn't want to tell your new friend about your sexual orientation, all you had to do was wear this and problem solved."

The fact that Alison could joke about this, at least she hoped the shirt was a joke, made the lead that was sitting in Emily's stomach recede just a little.

Emily toed off her shoes and shifted on the mattress, getting to her knees beside Alison's foot. "Ali, I don't want to fight about this anymore," she said honestly and Alison could hear the defeat in her girl's voice; and the blonde's heart broke just a little knowing she was the reason for it.

Maybe this shirt wasn't such a good idea after all.

"What do you want, Em?" Alison asked softly.

"You," Emily answered softly, and her eyes darkened with desire, as she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Alison's foot, before sliding softly over to her ankle.

"Em," Alison breathed as Emily's lips slowly traveled up the blonde's calf, her fingertips gently fluttering up the outsides of Alison's legs.

Emily tugged gently, pulling Alison lower on the bed and she straddled her, one knee between Alison's calves, as her tongue swirled over Alison's knee to her thigh.

Alison's body trembled and she knew she should stop her girl, knew she should resist, because they needed to talk. But she convinced herself that having a serious conversation when Emily was half drunk was probably not the best idea.

Emily's pressed soft kisses over Alison's thighs and she pushed them further apart with her hands as the blonde whimpered her name and reached down to caress the brunette's soft hair.

"Always, you," Emily whispered as she pushed Alison's t-shirt up and nuzzled Alison's mound over her panties, inhaling, and moaning softly as the scent of the blonde's arousal surrounded her.

Surrendering, Alison fell back onto the pillow, moaning long and low, spreading her thighs a little more, but she kept her fingers in her girl's hair.

"Baby," she whispered as she tugged gently on the long strands as Emily continued kissing up her body, pushing her shirt higher, exposing first her stomach and then her breasts.

Emily's fingertips fluttered up and down the insides of Alison's thighs and her nose brushed over Alison's nipple, causing the blonde's back to arch.

She pressed a gentle kiss on both of Alison's nipples before she moved higher, over the shirt that wouldn't go any higher, finally reaching her girl's neck.

Emily buried her face in the crook of Alison's neck and inhaled deeply, brushing her nose up the column of the blonde's throat, finally, exactly, where she'd wanted to be since she walked in the door.

Alison thrust her fingers into Emily's hair now and she turned her face to nuzzle Emily's cheek.

The blonde took a deep shuddering breath as Emily's lips softly caressed her ear, and the brunette breathed softly. "Only you."

Alison exhaled a soft moan and she gripped her girl's face and pulled Emily's lips to hers. Both girls whimpered and Emily lowered her body down on top of Alison, as their lips met in a soft, deep kiss, which soothed both girls' frazzled nerves.

The kiss was long and languid and Alison wrapped her arms around Emily and tugged on the back of her shirt. The brunette tore her lips away briefly and with Alison's help, her shirt was removed and she was left in only her satin bra.

Emily shifted to the side and settled half on the mattress and still half on top of Alison, both girls sighing at the feel of their skin touching. The brunette's fingers, more swiftly and surely than either girl would have expected considering Emily's impaired condition, reached down again and tugged the elastic of Alison's panties to the side and she slipped her fingers over the blonde's wet flesh.

Handsy Emily was now winning this battle and Alison tore her lips away from Emily's this time and she moaned as her eyes fluttered and rolled back. She reached down and gripped her girl's wrist. Emily, not a woman willing to be deterred by Alison breaking their kiss, lowered her mouth to Alison's breast and wrapped her lips around her girl's nipple.

"Em, baby," Alison moaned as the brunette's fingertips circled around her swollen, throbbing clit, while her tongue swirled around one of the blonde's nipples. "We should talk first," Alison choked out even as she arched her back, desperate to give in.

"I need this first," Emily murmured around the blonde's nipple before gently biting down on the tip.

Alison's body jerked and her hips bucked against Emily's hand and the brunette smiled before suckling her hard, the pad of her tongue lapping at the nipple inside her mouth.

Unable to do anything else, Alison gave in and released Emily's wrist, wrapping her arms around her girl again. Emily's fingers slipped lower and speared through Alison's swollen lips, slipping deep inside the blonde's body.

Alison tilted her hips and her thighs trembled as she grasped Emily's head and pulled her away from her breast, pulling her face up so she could kiss her mermaid again.

"Kiss me," she pleaded and Emily obliged her as her fingers thrust steadily in and out of the blonde's heat as her thumb rubbed her clit.

This kiss was sloppy and messy, yet still soft and tender at the same time. Alison knew this wasn't going to solve anything, but she needed this. They both needed this.

She needed this connection with her girl, a reaffirmation of their unyielding love for one another, despite the hurt and anger and disappointment both were inevitably still feeling over their fight.

Alison's fingers unsnapped Emily's bra and she slid her hands between their bodies so she could slide her hands under the fabric and cup her mermaid's breasts in her palms. She squeezed the soft flesh as her fingers rolled the hard nipples. Alison felt her girl tremble on top of her and the brunette's fingers faltered in their ministrations for a brief second before she began thrusting them again, deeper and steadier, with more purpose.

Emily gently bit Alison's top lip, before soothing it with her tongue and the blonde whimpered as her hips bucked harder against Emily's hand.

Alison slid one hand down her girl's stomach and tugged on the snap of Emily's jeans.

Emily shook her head and mumbled, "No," into Alison's mouth but the blonde ignored her as she struggled to lower her girl's zipper.

"Please, Em," Alison pleaded softly as she pulled her lips away. "I need to touch you too."

Emily captured Alison's lips again but she shifted and pulled her hips back, giving Alison just enough room to tug her zipper down and shove her hand down inside Emily's panties.

"Ali," she groaned as she felt Alison's fingers skip right over her clit and thrust lower, sliding into her. Emily's arousal allowed the blonde's two fingers to smoothly slip deep, as the palm of her hand pressed against the brunette's clit.

Emily rocked her hips as she groaned again, into Alison's mouth, as the blonde matched Emily's rhythm, her fingers plunging and retreating as she pressed the palm harder against her girl's clit.

Emily tore her lips away from Alison's and buried her face in the blonde's neck again, her entire body shuddering on top of her.

"Mine," the brunette whispered against Alison's soft skin and the word made Alison's breath hitch. She knew her girl felt the same way but she'd needed that one word more than she'd realized.

Alison turned her face and pressed her lips to Emily's ear, gently biting down on the soft lobe.

"Mine," she breathed, reiterating her mermaid's words, and she felt Emily tremble in her arms.

Alison couldn't hold it back any longer and she tightened her thighs around Emily's hand as her orgasm rolled through her. She cried out softly against her girl's ear, the soft sound of her mermaid's name slipping past her lips as her entire body convulsed.

"Yes," Emily hissed against Alison's neck, feeling the blonde's body tighten around her fingers, clamping down and squeezing the invading digits.

Alison's fingers faltered only slightly as she came, but then she began her assault on her girl's warm, wet flesh again.

Emily slipped her fingers out of Alison and lifted her wet fingers to the blonde's breast, where she circled her nipple, leaving a wet trail around the blonde's areola.

Alison placed her foot flat on the mattress and pushed up on one hand as she rolled them so she was now lying on her girl. She used her free hand to pull Emily's bra from between them, while the fingers of her other hand sped up inside her.

Alison broke the kiss, much to the brunette's disappointment, but it was short lived, when Alison clamped her mouth down on Emily's breast, immediately teasing the hard aching nipple in the center.

Emily reached down and shoved her jeans down to give Alison easier access to her as her hips rocked against the blonde's hand. With her hand less constricted, Alison was able to slip her fingers all the way to her knuckles and her thumb was now able to flick over her girl's clit.

Emily slid her fingers into Alison's hair and she massaged the blonde's scalp gently as Alison suckled her hard, alternating between both breasts, teasing and sucking and swirling her tongue.

"Ali, love," Emily moaned as her orgasm slammed into her hard. Alison groaned as Emily's walls gripped her fingers hard, squeezing and releasing rhythmically.

Alison lifted her lips to Emily's and kissed her girl, swallowing her cries of pleasure as the brunette's body shuddered and quaked on the mattress.

The brunette quickly flipped them again so Alison was beneath her again, eliciting a gasp of surprise from the blonde. Emily softened the kiss as Alison purred against her lips.

Emily released Alison's lips and sat up. She reached down and tugged her panties up before pushing her jeans down her legs and off, kicking them to the floor. Alison tugged her shirt down over her breasts and smirked when Emily turned and pouted as the blonde's breasts disappeared from view.

Emily lay down again, resting her head on Alison's breasts. She was feeling a little lightheaded and, even though making love with Alison often made her feel like that, she knew it was the alcohol in her system doing it now. She closed her eyes and nuzzled the side of the Alison's breast as the blonde caressed the side of her face gently.

Alison looked up at the ceiling as she caught her breath, holding Emily against her breasts, as she fluttered the fingers of her other hand up and down her girl's naked back.

God, she'd needed that.

But now that it was over, she felt drained. She felt Emily's hand reach for hers. Her girl linked their fingers and the brunette pulled the blonde's hand to her lips.

And Alison wasn't surprised when her mermaid spoke softly. "We need to talk about this now, Ali."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own nothing! :-)**

**Okay, here is the last part of my little tale. Hope you all enjoyed the ride with me.**

**Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to read and review and for always making me laugh and smile with your comments.**

**See ya all again soon… I'm sure.**

* * *

><p><strong>The T-Shirt<strong>

**Chapter 4**

Alison slid her fingers into her girl's hair, gently massaging her scalp. "I know, baby," the blonde whispered.

Emily's fingers slipped beneath the hem of Alison's T-shirt and circled the blonde's belly button, making her shiver softly.

"Em, you can't do that," she said as she reached down and stopped Emily's hand. "I can't focus when you touch me like that."

Emily lifted her head and smiled; her eyes now a little clearer, but the alcohol still clouded them slightly.

Pepe barked from the foot of the bed and both girls looked down at him. He was sitting on the floor with his head resting on the mattress, looking blandly at both of them.

"He such a perv," Alison said as she laughed. "Go away, Pepe."

She kicked her leg gently and he barked at her again but didn't move.

"Pepe," the blonde said his name again to no avail.

"Pepe," Emily said, her voice firm. "Go lay down."

Pepe looked at her then lifted his head and walked over to his dog bed in the corner.

"Why does he always listen to you and not me?" Alison asked as she pouted.

"Because I'm consistent with him," Emily said as she smiled, her head clearing more by the minute.

"What does that mean?" Alison scowled.

"It means you let him get away with a lot so he doesn't know if you're serious when you give him commands. He knows when I do, I mean it." Emily's fingers absently brushed the underside of Alison's breast.

"What are you, the dog whisperer?" Alison asked petulantly and Emily chuckled softly as she leaned down and rubbed her nose against the blonde's.

"You're so beautiful," Emily sighed softly as she brought her hand up to Alison's face and brushed her still damp fingers against the blonde's cheek, her thumb rubbing over her bottom lip. "And I'm so in love with you."

Alison kissed the pad of her thumb, forgetting all about Pepe. "I love you," Alison whispered before pulling Emily's hand away from her face. "But you need to put your shirt back on if we're going to talk right now."

"First I can't touch you and now I have to get dressed?" she pouted but Alison wasn't going to be moved.

The blonde nodded and Emily frowned, but she sat up and turned, and everything spun for a minute.

"Whoa," she said and Alison sat up and reached out to steady her.

"You okay?" she asked and Emily grinned after a minute.

"Yeah, head rush."

"What were you and Kira drinking anyway?"

"Wine," Emily replied as she leaned over the side of the bed and picked her shirt up off the floor, slipping it on as Alison kept her hand on her waist, in case she got dizzy again.

"Wine doesn't usually go to your head like this," Alison observed curiously.

Emily shrugged as she pulled away. She turned to face Alison and crossed her legs. "I didn't eat much, but I didn't drink much either, so I don't know."

"Maybe we should wait and talk in the morning, Em," Alison suggested as she mimicked Emily's position so both their knees were touching. She wanted to talk tonight, get it out and put it behind them, but she wanted Emily clear headed when they did.

"No," Emily shook her head. "I'm okay. My buzz is pretty much gone now. And I need to say a few things, but," she titled her head as she looked down at Alison's chest again. "I'm really distracted by that shirt."

Alison grinned. "Do you like it?"

A small smile quirked Emily's lips. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

Alison frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Where did you get it?" Emily asked rather than answer as she rubbed her hands gently over Alison's thighs, feeling the soft, warm skin beneath her fingertips.

"Fashion district," Alison sighed as Emily's fingers made soft circles on her skin. The blonde covered her hands and fluttered her fingers up the brunette's arms, needing to just touch her girl too.

"You went by yourself?" Emily asked as he eyes widened.

"What? It's not the combat zone. It's downtown LA."

Emily shook her head and smiled at Alison's affronted tone. "You just usually drag Kira with you when you go there."

"That's only because you refuse to go with me," Alison accused though not harshly.

Her mermaid hated shopping with her because she usually browsed way too long. Emily was always more purposeful in her shopping. Her motto was get in, get whatever you needed, and get the hell out again. Kira shared the blonde's love of shopping so they usually left Emily behind to do Emily things while they shopped.

"And she was with you today, so…" Alison trailed off as she shrugged, reaching down and stopping Emily's hand, pulling them back to her knees.

"Were you down there all day?" Emily asked curiously as he thumbs brushed Alison's kneecaps.

"No," Alison replied, a little too quickly and Emily narrowed her eyes.

"But you were gone all day."

"I needed time to clear my head," Alison looked at her girl sadly.

"You walked out on me," Emily accused, still upset that Alison had just left earlier.

"I was going to an ugly place so I had to get away from you."

"It killed me when you walked away," Emily said, softer now.

"I know, baby. But I had to."

"What aren't you telling me, Ali?" Emily asked.

Alison sighed and looked away, glancing at Pepe in the corner where he was now snoring. "I called Marianne. And she let me come see her," she admitted softly.

"On a Saturday?" Emily asked surprised.

Alison nodded as she looked down and picked at the hem of the T-shirt.

"Oh, Ali," Emily sighed softly, hating that she drove Alison to seek out her therapist.

"Don't 'Oh, Ali' me," Alison snapped as her eyes flashed and whipped up to meet Emily's. "I hate it when you pity me."

"I don't pity you," Emily snapped back and then her eyes softened. "I ache for you, Ali. Especially when I'm the one who hurts you."

Emily sighed softly and her eyes met Alison's and the brunette felt her heart ache; ache with love, ache with desire, ache with sorrow, and ache with regret.

"Ali, I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry, Em."

Both girls spoke at the same time and then they both chuckled.

"Ali, please let me go first," Emily asked and Alison nodded her head.

"I'm so sorry, love," Emily said again. "I didn't realize I was hurting you," the brunette said as she lifted her hand and brushed her fingers down Alison's cheek and then over her neck, making the blonde shudder.

"How did you know you were hurting me?" Alison hiccupped softly and her eyes fluttered at the feel of her girl's touch.

"Kira apparently is more insightful than I am sometimes," Emily said with a frown. "Which concerns me on more than one level," she added wryly before she sighed again and continued. "She made me realize that there was more to this than what I thought was just jealousy."

"I should have told you," Alison said as she reached up and caressed Emily's cheek, making the brunette's eyes flutter now.

"You shouldn't have had to." Emily opened her eyes and Alison could see the regret in them.

"Yes, I should have," Alison insisted as she frowned and pulled Emily's hand away and dropped both their hands into her lap. "You're not a mind reader, Em, although sometimes I expect you to be," she added more softly.

"You never have to be jealous of anyone, Ali." The fingers of Emily's free hand slowly traveled up Alison's thigh again. She just couldn't stop touching the blonde. "You have to know I don't see anyone but you. I don't want anyone but you. Ever."

"I do know, Em," the blonde smiled sadly even though her girl's words filled her with warmth. Or maybe it was her mermaid's fingers.

Handsy Emily was driving her to madness and Alison knew if she didn't stop her, then the blonde was going to forget having this conversation and pull her mermaid's fingers back where she was aching for them.

She grabbed Emily's other hand just as her fingers were reaching the elastic of the blonde's panties, and Alison gripped both of her girl's hands in her own, pulling them back to rest on her knees.

"But why did you hide who you are?" she asked softly as she looked down.

But what she wanted to ask was "why did you hide me?"

"I'm not hiding," Emily replied fiercely and she put her finger beneath Alison's chin and tilted her face up. "And _I'm_ _not hiding you_."

Alison blinked and tried to look away but Emily pulled her hand away from Alison's and yanked the blonde closer before laying her back onto the mattress again, making the blonde gasp as she gripped Emily's upper arms.

"Look at me Alison," Emily commanded and Alison's eyes whipped back to meet Emily's as her girl hovered over her. Emily's tone made her shiver with both want and anticipation.

Emily pressed her hand into Alison's stomach, holding her down. "I haven't spoken more than a few words to that guy. I don't stop and chat with him. He usually just waves when I run by, if he's even out. But I don't pay attention. I don't care. I've tried to tell you that but you won't listen."

"So you don't ever stop and talk with him?" Alison asked as she bit her bottom lip. The sight made Emily groan internally with the urge to bite it herself, but she forced herself to focus.

"Only the first time but that was just because I had that charlie horse." Emily slipped her hand beneath Alison's shirt again and brushed her thumb over her stomach, making circles around her belly button again, knowing how much Alison loved the sensation.

"Em, you have to stop," Alison whimpered as she gripped Emily's hand and pulled it out from beneath her shirt, resting it on her stomach again but holding it still. "I told you I can't focus when you touch me."

Emily grinned unrepentantly, but she kept talking.

"The other day when I told you he asked again, I only stopped because Pepe had a rock in his paw. It just happened to be right after this guy's house. He came out his gate and saw us and said hi and asked if Pepe was okay. I told him he was fine then he asked if I was sure I didn't want to have dinner with him. I said I was sure and Pepe and I started running again."

Emily leaned down and brushed her lips over Alison's jaw, making the blonde whimper.

"Then this morning, he was watering the roses on the outside of his fence and called after me after I ran by. I didn't stop, just told him I wasn't interested and kept running."

Alison grasped Emily's face in her hands and pulled her mermaid's lips away from her neck, forcing the brunette to look into her eyes again.

"Why didn't you just stop and tell him though? I don't understand. You've never been ashamed of anyone knowing you're gay." Alison's eyes pleaded with Emily for the truth.

Emily took advantage of her free hand and caressed Alison's side gently. "I'm not ashamed. I don't care who knows. And I'm not ashamed of you," Emily said vehemently. "If anything, you… _loving you_, is the one thing in my life I'm most proud of."

"Then, why?" Alison pleaded. "I just need to understand, Em."

Emily sighed and tried to explain. "I don't know him from Adam," Emily said. "And I have no desire to tell him anything about me." Emily reached up and slid her hand through her hair. "Ali, I'm proud of who I am. And who I love. And I have no problem telling anyone I'm gay. But I don't just blurt it out to random people and I have no desire to."

Alison didn't look convinced. "Now, when he asked me out, should I have said something? Yeah, probably," Emily admitted honestly as she looked down at the blonde. "But why would I even bother? I don't plan to interact with him ever again beyond anything more than a wave as Pepe and I run by?"

"He sounds pretty persistent, Em."

"It doesn't matter what he is. I don't have to stop and interact with him." Emily watched Alison's face and could see the hesitation still lingering. Emily sighed again. "You know how you've always said that your sexual orientation doesn't define you?"

"Yeah." Alison looked at her curiously, wondering where she was going with this.

"Well mine doesn't define me either," Emily admitted and Alison shot her a confused look. "Yes, I'm gay. And I'm in love with a beautiful girl, who I plan to love for the rest of my life."

"Baby," Alison's breath hitched as Emily's words made her heart flutter and she lifted her head, pressing her face into Emily's neck, letting her lips caress the brunette's skin.

Emily closed her eyes and moaned, her fingers pressing into Alison's thigh as she gripped it, but she forced herself to focus and get the rest of this out. She opened her eyes again she pulled back so she could see Alison's face.

"And I'm proud for the world to know that. But I don't have to explain that I'm gay to everyone I meet. You don't see Kira running around telling everyone she's heterosexual all the time. It shouldn't matter. I'm a human being and who I love and who I have sex with in the privacy of my own home does not define me."

Alison smiled at Emily's semi rant. It sounded vaguely familiar of a conversation, in a hotel room, four years ago.

"I love you, Alison. You're the most important person of my life. And I'm not hiding you, love. I'm proud of who you are to me and I want the whole world to know; because you're everything, but I don't need to explain it to everyone I meet."

"I know, baby," Alison murmured as she pressed her lips to Emily's neck. There had never really been a doubt in Alison's mind that her mermaid was hiding her, it had just been her irrational insecurities flaring up. "I know I'm being…."

"Don't you dare call yourself crazy, Ali," Emily warned her as her eyes flashed. "I hate it when you call yourself crazy."

"So does Marianne," Alison said as she shrugged. She knew that was something she needed to work on, but no matter what word she used to describe herself, it didn't change how she felt inside sometimes.

"I'm sorry I drove you to that." Emily caressed Alison's cheek, making the blonde exhale a shuddering breath.

And despite the ache in her chest, Emily smiled because she loved how much she and Alison affected each other, just from a simple touch. Watching and feeling how the blonde reacted to her touch, left Emily breathless.

"You didn't," Alison insisted as her hands reach grasped Emily's wrist. "It was all me. And I'm glad I sought her out because I never want to be ugly with you again. I know I still am sometimes but I try really hard not to be."

"I promise, love, the next time I see him, I'll tell him."

Alison smiled and snuggled closer to her girl, brushing her lips softly over Emily's jaw as her hands wandered up and down the brunette's side.

"I know you will, baby. But you're still not getting out of wearing your present though."

Emily sighed and dropped her head on Alison's chest. "You're really going to make me wear it, aren't you?

Alison nodded as she pretended to pout. "You don't like your present?"

"It's not a present, it's a joke."

"It's not a joke," Alison said seriously. "I'm very serious about you being proud of who you are. And if it lets the neighborhood predator know you don't play for his team, all the better."

"But the letters are bright pink," Emily answered with an exaggerated whine.

"I love pink," Alison said.

"_You_ love pink," Emily answered as she arched her brow.

"I think you're gonna look so fucking sexy in it, I can't wait."

"Awesome," Emily replied drolly and Alison threw her arms around her girl, burying her face in the brunette's neck again, pressing soft kisses on her warm skin.

Emily groaned again and pulled Alison's lips to her, kissing the blonde soundly. Alison arched her back and hiked her leg up over Emily's hip as the brunette's hand cupped the blonde's breast through the offending T-shirt.

"I never want to fight with you again," Alison murmured against Emily's lips.

Emily chuckled softly into Alison's mouth before kissing a soft path to her ear. "I don't either but it's not very likely, love," Emily breathed as her tongue slowly swirled over the shell of Alison's ear. "But there is one good thing about it."

Alison whimpered and tightened her thigh around Emily's hip, her fingers gripping her mermaid's waist, clutching her as close as she could.

"Making up," Emily breathed as she bit down gently on Alison's earlobe.

"Yes," the blonde hissed in agreement as she once again surrendered to her girl.

##############

After making love again, this time slower and more ardently, Emily and Alison finally fell asleep in each other's arms. They spent Sunday morning sleeping in, sharing a late, lazy brunch on the back patio, and taking Pepe for a quick romp to the dog park, before rushing back, throwing off their clothes and locking Pepe out of the bedroom.

Several hours later, Emily's thighs shook as she straddled Alison's head, one hand gripping the headboard and the other thrust into Alison's hair beneath her.

Alison pushed the vibrator deeper into her girl's body, as the forefinger and thumb of her other hand spread her girl wide. The blonde swirled her tongue around and over her mermaid's clit, causing the brunette to groan and drop her head onto the top of the headboard.

Alison slid her hand over and pressed her fingers into Emily's thigh as she held the brunette to her mouth, finally wrapping her lips around the swollen bud, sucking hard and flicking the tip with her tongue.

"Ali," Emily cried out as her orgasm slammed into her and she struggled to remain on her knees. Alison slid the toy out of her girl and let her tongue take its place, thrusting inside, as she brushed her nose against Emily's tender clit, making the brunette whimper above her.

"Stop, no more," Emily pleaded hoarsely and she lifted her leg over Alison's head and flopped back onto the mattress beside her, the brunette's head beside Alison's knees, her feet on the pillow beside Alison's head.

Alison turned on her side and pushed up on her elbow. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then licked her lips as she smiled at her mermaid. "You okay there, baby?"

Emily's eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head, just barely, as she smiled a soft sated smile. "Never better, love."

Alison laughed softly and kissed her girl's calf as her fingers fluttered up and down Emily's thigh.

The sound of the front door slamming had both girls sitting up and looking toward the closed bedroom door with surprise.

"What the hell was that?" Alison said as she scurried off the bed and grabbed the dress, she wore to the dog park earlier, off the floor and slid it over her head and down her body.

"Who the hell is more like it," Emily said as she grabbed her yoga pants and tugged them up her legs. Alison tossed her shirt at her and Emily pulled it over her head, foregoing a bra.

"Where's Pepe anyway? Shouldn't he be barking? He's the worst guard dog ever," Alison huffed and Emily laughed.

"Maybe its Kira," Emily said as she opened the bedroom door. Alison pressed up against her back and looked over her shoulder and down the hall.

"Kira, if this is you I'm going to freaking kill you," Alison growled but there was no reply.

"Hello?" Emily called down the hallway but there was still no reply.

"Do you want a bat or something?" Alison asked as she gripped her girl's hips and grinned.

"We don't own a bat," Emily reminded her as they walked down the hallway and through the living room.

"You know, we're probably doing the completely wrong thing by walking out here like this? Haven't we seen enough horror movies to know that?"

Emily laughed. "Ali, its fine. There's no one here," Emily said as they looked around the empty living room.

"Including Pepe," Alison observed as she frowned.

Suddenly the sound of Pepe's bark from out front caught their attention and Emily walked over to the front door and pulled it open.

"Em, what the hell," Alison growled at her girl as she grabbed her arm. "Are you looking to get murdered?"

Emily laughed again. "No one is going to murder me, Ali." Emily and Alison stepped onto the front porch and caught sight of Kira and Pepe in the small front yard of their condo playing fetch with his favorite tennis ball.

"What the fuck, Kira?" Alison called as she put her hands on her hips and glared at their friend.

"Will you look at that Pepe, your mom's haven't fucked each other to death after all," Kira smirked as she threw the tennis ball across the yard for Pepe to chase."

"What are you doing here?" Emily asked, ignoring her friend's wise ass remark. She walked onto the grass. Pepe ran over to her, wiggling excitedly and barking as he dropped his tennis ball at her feet.

"I just came over to feed and take your dog for a walk?" Kira said as if it the answer was obvious.

"Why?" Alison scowled as she also stepped onto the lawn, the soft grass tickling the bottoms of her bare feet.

"Well I figured one of two things happened once I dropped Em off last night. Either the two of you made up, and you'd be so busy today wrapped up in each other that Pepe would probably be neglected. Or the two of you had another fight and you," she pointed at Alison. "Were probably burying her body in the backyard,"

"Been there. Done that," Alison drawled as she sat down on the grass, stretched out her legs and crossed her ankles.

"Alison," Emily choked, horrified.

"Get over it, Em. I have." Alison retorted as she shrugged.

"Huh? What the hell are you two talking about?" Kira asked clearly confused. Alison and Emily had never told Kira about what happened all those years ago so she didn't know how inappropriate her joke was. But then again, it was no more inappropriate than Alison's reply.

"I need to be totally drunk to tell you that story. Some other time," Alison said as she waved her hand dismissively.

"Pepe's not being neglected. We took him to the dog park earlier," Emily offered as Pepe came back to her with his ball, dropping it at her feet. She bent down and tossed it across the yard.

"I figured as much when he didn't even get up when I walked into the house. He's still not much of a guard dog, is he?" she laughed as Pepe brought the ball back to her, alternating between her and Emily.

"Hey, leave him alone," Alison defended even as she laughed because it felt like she and Kira shared a brain sometimes. "You'll give him a complex."

"If you haven't done that already, I think he'll be just fine."

"You scared the hell out of us, you know," Alison said. "You could have at least called down the hallway that you were here."

Kira scoffed. "I heard all I needed to hear from the living room. I figured you didn't want to be disturbed."

Emily sat on the grass beside Alison and the blonde leaned over and kissed her girl softly before she said. "So you slammed the door when you left? Real stealth."

Kira shrugged. "The wind did that. Sorry."

Pepe loped over to Alison, head butting her in the shoulder and dropping the ball at her feet. She tossed it away and Pepe chased it across the yard again.

"Well, thanks for thinking of Pepe's welfare," Emily smirked. "But as you can see he's alive and well and so am I."

"I'm very glad to see that, Doc."

"Since you're here, you want to stay for dinner?" Alison said as she leaned back on her hands.

Kira shook her head. "No thanks. I really did just come over to make sure Pepe was okay."

"Come on, just stay," Emily encouraged. "Or are you seeing Todd tonight?"

Kira shook her head. "Nah. He's doing something with friends I guess."

"Well then, you already interrupted us. You might as well stay now," Alison said lazily.

"Your enthusiasm for my company is touching," Kira said as she shot the blonde a look. "What are you having, anyway?"

"Spaghetti Bolognaise," Emily replied and Kira's eyes lit up.

"Oh, that's my favorite. I guess I could make the time."

Emily and Alison glanced at each other and smirked.

"Well, I'm gonna take a quick shower before I start the sauce," Emily said as she stood up.

Alison pouted softly. "Why are you going to do that?"

"So she doesn't offend your company."

"Bitch, you're not company."

Kira tilted her head as she really looked at Alison for the first time. "You do realize you have totally 'I just got fucked hair' happening right now, don't you? Did you even brush it before you came outside?"

"It wasn't really a priority when I thought there was an axe murderer in the house."

"Like you couldn't take on an axe murderer with one arm tied behind your back."

Alison smirked. "Again…been there. Done that."

And all Emily could do was shake her head and sigh at her girl. But she was glad Alison was in such a good mood now, glad their drama was behind them.

"I'll leave you two to your witty banter. I'll be out in a few minutes," Emily said as she started back in the house.

"You gonna take a shower too?" Kira asked as the front door closed behind the brunette.

"Why do you ask? Do you want me to go join my mermaid under the water?" Alison's lips curved into a seductive smile as Pepe came over and plopped himself down on Alison's legs. "Dinner won't be ready for a really long time, if I do that."

"At least you won't reek of sex during the meal."

"You know what, never mind, you're uninvited. You can go home now."

"No way, not when the Doc is making spaghetti bolognaise."

"Pepe, will you please bite Kira?" Alison asked the dog but he ignored her as he chomped on one of his chewy bones that he'd found under the bushes.

Kira plopped down on the grass across from Alison and reached out to scratch Pepe's back.

"Em told me you kicked her ass a little bit yesterday," Alison said quietly after a minute.

Kira shrugged like it was no big deal. "Yeah, well sometimes even the perfect future Dr. Fields ain't so smart to the ways of the world."

"You didn't have to stick up for me you know."

"Bitch, please. If things in the DiLaurentis-Fields household are not right, nothing in the universe is right. It was purely selfish on my part."

"Uh huh," Alison murmured knowingly. "Thanks," Alison added softly, in the sincere tone she, usually, only used for Emily.

"Whatever," Kira waves her hand dismissively. "I owed you one for the night we got arrested anyway. Now we're even."

Alison smirked now, knowing Kira was right. The bitch did owe her. Owed her big, in fact. Almost as big as they both owed Emily, who had been the one to bail them out of that fiasco.

"I take it sending your girl home a little drunk last night did the trick."

Alison's lips curved again and her response was a combination between a purr and a moan. "It was just what the doctor ordered."

"Glad to be of service."

"You know, you write the longest freaking texts in history."

"I'm a teacher. I refuse to bastardize the words of the English language just to make a text shorter."

"This coming from the woman who just said 'ain't'?"

"That slang was deliberate and used for emphasis."

Alison rolled her eyes. "Whatever, teach. So, do you want to see the present I bought Em yesterday?" Alison grinned mischievously as she pushed Pepe off her legs and she moved to stand.

Kira held up her hand and looked away from her. "Sure. But you want to be careful and keep your legs closed there, Sharon Stone? You're flashing the whole neighborhood."

Alison stopped and looked down, realizing she forgot to put underwear on.

"Consider that a freebie." She threw her head back and laughed before turning and walking into the house, leaving Kira to sigh as she looked down at Pepe who gave her a look that she swore said "welcome to my world."

###############

The dawn came bright and early Monday morning and Emily reached over, without even opening her eyes, and slapped her hand down on the alarm when it went off at five forty-five.

She reached for Alison but she came up empty handed, only finding cool sheets where her girlfriend's naked body should have been.

She opened one eye and lifted her head, blearily looking around the still dark room.

"Ali?" she said, her voice raspy from sleep.

Light from the bathroom streamed into the room as Alison opened the door. The blonde was already dressed in a pair of running pants and a tank top. She had one of Emily's zippered sweatshirts on and she was smiling softly as she held up Emily's new shirt.

"Come on lazy bones, it's time to announce to the world _who you really are_."

Emily sighed as she dropped her head back onto the pillow.

"You're enjoying this entirely too much, Alison."

Alison's grin widened. "I have to say I am. But I can't wait to see you in it." She brought the t-shirt up to her nose and inhaled, smelling her own perfume. "It smells like me; that should make you happy at least."

Alison tossed the shirt onto the foot of the bed and crawled up, straddling Emily's body. She leaned down and nuzzled her face into Emily's neck, inhaling deeply.

"Mmmmm, good, you smell like me, too" she purred. "I worked really hard to get my scent all over you last night."

"Yes you did," Emily moaned softly as she remembered Alison's method of covering her.

"Come on, get up sleeping beauty," Alison encouraged as she tugged the sheets away from her girl's naked body.

A slow sultry smile curved her lips as she took in the sight as Emily rolled over onto her back, tossing one arm over her face, while the other grasped blindly for the now missing sheet.

"I don't want to run this morning."

Alison stood up. "That's not an option, Em. I'm up and dressed and it's time for you to do the same. Your running pants are laid out in the bathroom and I've got your shirt right here."

When Emily didn't move, Alison narrowed her eyes.

"Emily Fields, get your ass out of that bed this instant," she growled and Emily sat up, clearly unhappy. "You are not getting out of this."

"I'm not trying to get out of it. I'm tired today, Ali. I'll wear it when I run tomorrow."

"I can't run with you tomorrow. I have my shrink appointments on Tuesday mornings. You'll wear it today," Alison held the shirt out, glaring at her girl, daring her to argue.

Emily just sighed as she pushed up on her hands and stood up. She wrapped the sheet around her body and walked toward the bathroom, yanking the T-shirt out of Alison's hand as she walked by. Alison looked over at Pepe, who looked at her warily, and waited for the fall out.

It took barely a minute.

"Alison Lauren DiLaurentis, what the hell!"

Pepe rose to his feet and scurried out of the bedroom at the sound of Emily's raised voice.

"Coward," Alison scoffed and then she turned to see her girlfriend, in all her naked glory, standing in the doorway of the bathroom, glaring at her.

Alison tried to look innocent but failed miserably as Emily stalked over to her.

"What the hell is this about?" Emily asked as she motioned to her body with her right hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alison said sweetly as she smiled.

"You've covered me in hickies," Emily growled.

"Oh, that," Alison said as her eyes darkened at the sight of the almost dozen red welts she'd left of Emily's chest and breasts.

She licked her lips, the memory of the taste of her girls' skin tickling her taste buds.

"You did this deliberately," Emily accused. "So I wouldn't be able to wear my usual tank top."

"Yes, I did," Alison admitted honestly. "But your new shirt has a nice high neckline so you can wear that."

"I told you already I would wear it. With what you've done I'm not going to be able to wear more than half the shirts I own for weeks. You didn't have to mark me like this."

"What's the big deal Em? I mark you all the time. And you mark me too, you know," Alison retorted as she yanked up her shirt, and her sports bra along with it, to expose her breasts to Emily.

The blonde had three hickies of her own, one in between her breasts, that was clearly old and fading, but she also had two fresh ones from the previous night, one on the inside of her right breast and one on the underside of her left.

"But we always put them in places only we'll see. There's no way I'm going to be able to hide these, Ali."

Alison shrugged as she tugged her shirt down again. Part of her did feel bad, but most of her didn't. "You weren't complaining when I was doing it."

"You're not even sorry, are you?"

"Why should I be sorry?" Alison scowled again and crossed her arms. "I got carried away. I can't help it if I love your tits."

Emily shot her an incredulous look. "Are you really using that as an excuse?"

"What do you want me to say, Em?"

"How about 'I'm sorry I got carried away, Emily? Or how about I'm sorry, even after we made up, I deliberately retaliated because I'm still hurt and mad?' Either one of those would be good as long as they were honest."

"Part of me is sorry," Alison admitted reluctantly and she looked away. "But I'd be lying if I said all of me was."

Emily sighed again. Loving the girl in front of her wasn't always easy. Sometimes it was the most difficult and frustrating thing in the world. Other times it was the easiest. But mostly it was everything, just like the girl herself.

And no matter how difficult or frustrating or easy, it was the one thing Emily would never change or ever be able to stop, even when she wanted to wring her neck.

Emily walked over to Alison and grabbed her ponytail, tugging her head back so Alison was forced to meet Emily's eyes. She could see hints of the remorse swirling in the blonde's eyes, combined with self-loathing, because she knew Emily was right and she should be sorry. And it broke Emily's heart, knowing how much Alison struggled with her demons.

"Don't ever do something like this again, Alison," Emily said. "I know I was oblivious and insensitive about this whole thing but you're just deliberately lashing out at me." Her tone softened now as Alison blinked, moisture pooling in her eyes. "I love you, Alison, and I'll gladly scream it from the rooftops," Emily said, repeating the words Alison had said to her years ago about being gay. "So you don't need to mark me for the world to see. Got it?"

"Yes," she breathed, exhaling a shuddering breath, as she pressed up against Emily's naked body. "God, I'm so hot for you right now."

Emily closed her eyes and her lips curved into a smile as she shook her head. She felt Alison's lips brushing softly against her jaw.

"I'll give you two choices right now," Emily said as she opened her eyes. "You can take me back to bed or I can put on that T-shirt and we can go running."

Alison pouted but she pulled away. "That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, love," Emily smiled at the pouty look on the blonde's face.

Alison narrowed her eyes and humphed as she stepped back. "You're not getting out of this so go get dressed. Pepe and I will be outside waiting."

#################

Emily and Alison turned the corner and the brunette slowed down to a jog. Pepe automatically slowed down to match her pace. She and the dog had a system; they'd been running together for years now. Only once in a while did Pepe break the rules and try to continue to tug Emily along at his pace.

Alison turned and started jogging backward in front of Emily, her blond ponytail swaying back and forth behind her.

"Why are you slowing down? You're not having trouble keeping up with me are you?" Alison asked as she smirked.

"I actually wanted to check out your ass but you unfortunately turned around," Emily smirked back and Alison's eyes twinkled.

She was proud of her girl for her quick comeback.

"Well by all means, ogle all you want," Alison retorted as she turned back around and wiggled her ass for Emily's benefit. She wrapped part of Pepe's leash around her wrist, keeping the dog from getting too far away from her.

Emily sped up and slapped Alison on her ass as the brunette jogged past her and Pepe. "And you accuse me of being a tease."

Alison just grinned and caught up with her girl, again moving in front of her and turning around to jog backward.

"You gettin' hot in that sweatshirt yet?" Alison asked innocently as she unzipped her own sweatshirt, well it was one of Emily's, but she always wore it when she joined Emily on a run.

"Nope," Emily replied but her eyes darkened, from their normal brown to almost black, as Alison shrugged out of it, revealing the tight tank top she wore. Her perfect breasts, at least to Emily they were perfect, were bouncing as she moved and Alison moaned softly at the lust filled look the brunette was giving her.

Emily slowed again, down to a steady walk and Alison slowed with her.

"God, when you look at me like that it makes me want to drop to the ground and just spread my legs," Alison moaned as she felt the heat of Emily's gaze spear through her.

Emily grabbed Alison's hand and tugged her closer, gripping her hips and walking the blonde backward as she lowered her mouth and kissed her girl. Alison whimpered and her head fell back, opening her mouth and gasping as the taste of her mermaid hit her tongue.

Pepe loped along with them, trotting at their pace, sniffing the concrete as he ignored them.

The girls kissed softly, continuing to walk in tandem, until finally Emily broke the kiss and brushed her nose gently against Alison's.

"I like it when you come running with me," she said softly, honestly.

Alison smirked after her eyes fluttered open. "Don't get used to it."

Out of the corner of her eye, Emily saw Daren step outside his gate and aim his hose at the low bushes. She brushed her lips softly over Alison's once more before she stepped back and grasped Alison's hand in hers.

"Come with me," she said as she tugged her girlfriend and their dog down the street.

"Baby, what are you doing?" Alison asked curiously, until she saw the guy watering his flowers and her eyes narrowed.

She tried to wiggle her hand out of Emily's but her mermaid would not let go so she let herself be tugged.

"Daren," Emily said his name as they got closer.

He looked over and his face lit up. It made Alison clench her teeth. "Oh, hey, Emily."

Emily pulled Alison against her side. "I want to introduce you to my girlfriend. This is-" she said but at that very second, Alison grabbed the front of Emily's sweatshirt and tugged the zipper down. Before Emily could even finish her sentence or register what she was doing, Alison shoved Emily forward, causing the brunette to stumble and crash right into Daren, who grabbed her arms to stop her from falling flat on her face.

"Ali, what the hell?" Emily cried out but her question was drowned out by Alison's voice and Pepe's growl.

"Read her tits, buddy. She's a flaming lesbian with a girlfriend and you're looking right at her." Alison motioned to herself with a dramatic swirl of her arms.

The guy's eyes widened in surprise and Emily sighed. She stepped back, shaking Daren's hand off her arms as she grabbed Alison's hand, tugging her against her side again. "As I was saying," she continued. "This is my girlfriend, Ali. She's the reason I'm not interested in going to dinner with you."

"You're into girls?"

"Yes," Emily admitted. "I should have told you the first time you asked me out that I have a girlfriend and she's the love of my life." Emily looked over at Alison, her eyes soft and full of love and it made Alison's breath catch in her throat.

Emily looked back at Daren. "But even if I didn't, I still wouldn't have accepted your invitation because I'm a lesbian and proud of it," Emily opened her arms and motioned to the words on her breasts. "So, now that you know, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop asking. Otherwise I'm not going to be able to hold her back."

Alison scoffed and glared at her girl, even though she was vibrating with happiness.

"Well, damn," Daren said as he chuckled. "How's a guy supposed to compete with that."

"You can't," Emily said as she squeezed the blonde's hand in hers. "No one can compete with her."

Alison was so moved by Emily's words she wanted to jump on her girl and drag her to the ground right then and there.

"I can't believe you're a lesbian too." Daren looked at Alison, still wide eyed, unable to hold back his amazement.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Alison pulled her hand out of Emily's and stepped closer as she glared. Pepe stepped forward with her and growled lowly.

Daren shrugged. "You're both so hot."

"Just because a girl is attractive, she has to be straight?" Alison scoffed. "What kind of fucking sexist stereotype is that?"

"No, but it's just … I don't know….odd. Both of you could have any guy you wanted."

"All of you fucking guys are so clueless." Alison shook her head disgusted. "I've gone both ways and let me tell you something. There is nothing better than making love with another woman. I've had the hottest sex of my life with this girl right here," Alison pointed to Emily, who closed her eyes, and braced herself, afraid of what Alison might say next. "And if you can't wrap your little, narrow mind around the fact that we're lesbians, you can just fuck off."

Emily's eyes whipped open and she looked at the blonde, wondering if she realized what she said. But, at that moment, Emily realized it didn't matter anymore. Because, bisexual or gay, Alison DiLaurentis was irrevocably hers.

"You need to respect boundaries, pal," Alison continued, not even giving Daren a chance to respond, as she stepped closer, poking him right in the chest, making him take a step back. "She's told you no several times, so back the fuck off and stop harassing her every time she's on her run, with our dog, after just leaving our bed, still covered in my pussy."

Daren choked out a laugh and Alison's eyes narrowed even further as she and Pepe made matching growling sounds.

"And that's funny to you?"

He held up his hand in surrender. "Just amused by your candor. And as disappointed as I am, I have to say I really kind of like you," he admitted.

"Well I don't like you," Alison retorted as she crossed her arms. "And I don't like you hitting on my girl. Neither does Pepe. This dog may look sweet and friendly but he will protect what is ours."

As if to back Alison up, Pepe growled once more then barked.

"Sweet and friendly, huh?" Daren mused but stepped back into his yard.

Alison smirked. "That's it, baby," Alison cooed to the dog. "You tell him." Then she looked directly at Daren again. "So, are you and I clear? We're not going to have to have this conversation again, are we?"

"Nope, we're crystal clear."

"Good." Alison reached down to stroke Pepe's ears. "Em," Alison said as she looked around for her girlfriend. Only she was nowhere to be found.

"She left a few minutes ago," Daren said still amused.

Alison sighed before turning away without another word and starting to jog down the street again. "Come on, Pepe," she called and tugged on his leash. Pepe barked once more before following.

She was probably in trouble now, but she still couldn't believe Emily just left her there alone with the flower watering predator; without even saying a word.

"Can you believe she abandoned us, Pepe?" Alison asked as she slowed to a walk again once they turned the corner.

Pepe didn't answer. He just tugged her toward the sidewalk so he could pee on a light pole.

"Maybe I did go a little overboard back there," Alison admitted reluctantly to the dog, as they kept walking. "I probably shouldn't have shoved her at him," she mumbled to herself and Pepe barked his agreement.

"What? Who's side are you on anyway?" she snapped at him and he stopped walking, sitting down right where he was on the sidewalk.

Alison tugged on his leash but he didn't budge. "What are you doing?" she asked as she turned to face him.

Pepe barked at her again and she narrowed her eyes at him. "You think I don't know she's probably pissed at me for embarrassing her?"

Pepe barked again, this time a little softer and Alison sighed. She crouched down and he loped over to her, head butting her in the shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I blame you for this, Pepe? Why didn't you just bite him and save me from getting into trouble." Pepe whined a little and tried to lick her face but she pulled back quickly and fell on her ass. "Stop it. I hate it when you lick my face."

Pepe head butted her again and Alison scratched his ears. "Thanks for backing me up back there though," she murmured and kissed the top of his head before standing back up.

"Time to face the music," she sighed as she and Pepe started walking again, quickly increasing into a slow jog, down one more block before turning onto their street.

They found Emily reclined on the grass in their small front yard, waiting for her.

Emily arched her brow as Alison slowed to a walk as she approached.

"Are you and Pepe done peeing on me back there?"

Alison shrugged but didn't meet Emily's eyes. "We weren't peeing on you."

"You were marking your territory," Emily offered, matter-of-factly.

Alison's eyes flashed. "Yes, because you wouldn't do it."

"I was trying to before you shoved me at him. I almost face planted you know."

"Sorry about that," Alison said quietly.

"Come here," Emily said as she motioned for Alison to sit beside her on the grass.

"Why? Are you going to try to smother my face in the grass?" she asked although she didn't hesitate to sit down.

Pepe plopped down on the ground beside them, stretching out on the cool grass.

Emily lifted her arm over Alison's shoulders and slipped her fingers up into the back of Alison's hair, pulling the blonde's head closer as she looked into her eyes. "No," Emily whispered against Alison's lips, kissing her softly. "I just wanted you closer so I could do this."

"Mmmm," Alison hummed, sighing happily, as she gripped the front of Emily's shirt and tugged her even closer.

"Aren't you mad at me?" Alison asked when their lips parted.

"Yes," Emily said. "But even when I'm mad at you, I still ache to kiss you."

"When I'm mad at you it makes me ache to kiss you more," Alison whispered as she reached up and brushed her fingers softly against Emily's lips. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."

"You didn't. I told you, I don't care what he thinks. But you do know I have absolutely zero interest in guys, right?"

"Yes," Alison breathed as her eyes lingered on Emily's lips as she spoke. Then she shook her head and breathed deep, clearing her head. "That isn't what this is about."

"What it is about then?" Emily asked. "Why do you always get jealous about guys?"

"Because they want you," she admitted honestly.

"And I only want you," Emily replied just as honestly.

Unable to stop herself, Alison leaned forward and captured her mermaid's lips again, pulling her down over her as she lay back on the grass.

"I want to defile you ten different ways right now," Alison purred softly before the kiss deepened and lengthened. She clutched at Emily frantically even though they were sprawled out on their front lawn.

"That means I'd have to take off this T-shirt though," Emily murmured. "And once it comes off, it's never going back on."

Alison bit her lip gently in retaliation and it made Emily moan softly, even as she pulled away and kissed a path down the blonde's neck.

"I have ways of convincing you," Alison breathed softly against her cheek.

"You could always wear it, pink is your color," Emily teased as she swirled her tongue up Alison's pulse point, along the column of her throat.

Alison scoffed. "Not likely," the blonde panted softly against her girl's cheek, arching her back as she squirmed beneath the brunette.

Emily pressed her lips to Alison's ear. "Don't worry Ali, I won't tell anyone you admitted you're a lesbian." She lifted her head when she felt Alison stiffen beneath her, and brushed her lips softly over the blonde's. "It will be our little secret," she whispered as she grinned.

Alison smirked as she slid her fingers into her girl's hair.

"Just shut up and kiss me."

The End...


End file.
